The former Port & Eagle Brewpub, which changed its name to Five Peaks in the wake of the scandal around previous owner Dave Gaughan, is for sale.
Port & Eagle, in Kaiapoi, north of Christchurch, was home to Eagle Brewing, but when Gaughan made a racially-charged comment on Facebook the backlash forced him to exit the business as a shareholder and director.
His wife Marilyn Yosores changed the name to Five Peaks but has struggled through the Covid era to make it work and the brewery operation has been largely dormant since April 2021 when Gaughan exited.
PLC Group, working with Yosores on the sale, said any potential purchaser will have to undertake their own due diligence but “we believe reactivating the brewery operations combined with the restaurant & bar turn over will provide positive income streams”.
Yosores is the majority shareholder but around 7-8% of shares are held in small parcels by a number of investors who came on board via crowd-funding.
Five Peaks Bar is situated on a busy main road and overlooks the Kaiapoi River. There are two income streams available including the 441m2 restaurant, bar and deck and fully-fitted out 515m2 brewing facilities.
Yosores told Pursuit of Hoppiness she was selling the business to have a complete fresh start “without Dave still hovering behind the scenes”.
“I can carry on make this business a success, but he won’t let go. Therefore, a fresh start outside Canterbury will be best for me and I will temporarily go back nursing while I’m settling down to a new place.
She one day hopes to open her own hospitality business “without the stain of the past”.
“I am so looking forward to my new future and still be in the craft beer scene one day.”