There are only a few days left for locals to enjoy a “last supper” at long-standing Wānaka cafe, Ritual, says co-owner Chris Hadfield, as the cafe will close its doors on Wednesday (November 19).

Chris and his husband Paul Tregea bought the cafe in 2005, after dreaming of opening a cafe for ten years.

While Paul has worked in hospitality for years, it was “completely foreign” to Chris, whose background was in finance.

The pair moved south from Wellington, but “took one look at Queenstown and said ‘no’”, Chris said. They soon discovered their ideal destination lay over the hill in Wānaka. 

The Wānaka Sun ran this story when the pair bought the cafe in 2005. IMAGE: Supplied

In 2005 there were only a handful of places you could get coffee in Wānaka, including Ritual, Relishes, and Kai Whakapai. 

Over the past 20 years that scene has been transformed with many new hospo businesses established.

But the regular Ritual customers have always known what they like, and consequently there have been “bugger all” changes to the cafe’s menu in the past 20 years, Chris said.

There has been plenty of change elsewhere, though.

On their first day at the cafe Chris and Paul made $890, and thought “We’re going to be rich”, Chris said.

Turnover increased over the years, but the Covid-19 pandemic and now the cost of living have changed the scene.

“We’ve lost the families,” Chris said. “There’s not a financial safety blanket now.”

Compliance issues have become more complicated and more expensive, he said.

Chris recalled their very first health inspection was undertaken by one of their regular customers, who turned up in a white coat, carrying a clipboard, saying “this is my day job”.

That inspection took 20 minutes, and they were told to “buy a new nailbrush”.

Now an inspection can take three to four hours, he said, and cost considerably more.

And while Wānaka once had two distinct shoulder seasons, Chris said by the time Covid arrived, “the shoulder season was basically non-existent”.

“There was a dip,” he said, but now “shoulder seasons are back”.

A wall of memories at Ritual Cafe. PHOTO: Wānaka App

Social change has also been a feature for the cafe owners known as “the only gays in the village”.

There were a small number of gay people in town in the early years, and Chris said when people would ask them how many gay people lived here he would reply “We know ten; the other 30 have yet to tell their wives”.

Chris enjoys standing out from the crowd, so he has mixed feelings about having “been assimilated into the heterosexual community”.

He said he and Paul haven’t had a Christmas Day for 20 years - Boxing Day is their busiest day of the year, so Christmas Day is spent prepping at the cafe. 

While they’re now looking forward to a sleep-in on Boxing Day, Chris said they will miss the social aspect of the cafe.

“The best part of the job - and the only reason I get out of bed: customers.”

Chris, a member of the Wānaka Upper Clutha Community Board, said once his cafe career is concluded he plans to focus on three key areas for the community: The Heart of Wānaka Plan for the the CBD, the development of a new arts facility for the area, and improving active transport connectivity.