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4h ago

Chocolate Fish Owners Apologise for Wrongly Blaming Peter Jackson for Café Closure

Wingnut PM says the lease ends on 31 January 2026 to enable extensive remediation at Shelly Bay.

Filmmaker Peter Jackson was under fire after a NZ cafe claimed he was forcing their closure.
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Overview

  • Penny and John Pennington issued an unreserved apology to Sir Peter Jackson and Dame Fran Walsh, acknowledging their earlier claim was unfounded.
  • The café will keep trading through summer and close at Shelly Bay at the end of January 2026 with transitional support offered by the landlord.
  • Wingnut PM cites required work on the Submarine Barracks, including a roof replacement, frontage restoration, interior renovations and site upgrades.
  • The property arm says occupancy discussions with the café’s owners have been ongoing since 2024 and the timeline had been communicated.
  • Chocolate Fish has operated at Shelly Bay for about 15 years, and Jackson and Walsh purchased the barracks in 2023 as part of a redevelopment intended to benefit Wellington.