‘The beginning of the end’: Much-loved Auckland venue up for sale after 30 years of family ownership
Monday, 25 May 2026
The Leigh Sawmill Cafe, a celebrated live music venue and eatery in north Auckland that has been in one family for 30 years, has been put up for sale.
The venue was opened in 1996 by Grattan and Marguerite Guinness, and in recent years has been run by their sons, Ed and Ben Guinness.
Some of the names to have played there include Shihad, Fat Freddy’s Drop, and Bic Runga.
A much-loved north Auckland music venue and eatery that has been in the same family for 30 years is on the market.
The Leigh Sawmill Cafe was first opened in 1996 by Grattan and Marguerite Guinness in the small coastal suburb of Leigh, and over the decades has become a popular spot for both dining and music.
In a post on social media, the cafe shared two images of the site, with a for-sale sign outside, under the caption “the beginning of the end”.
A follow-up post by the cafe in the comments said they were “not closed yet” and were still open for live music and other bookings until “someone else wants to take the helm”.
The property is being put up for sale by Bayleys, with the listing describing it as an 'iconic property” that has been a “focal point” for locals and visitors alike.
“It offers scale, profile and significant untapped potential in one of Auckland's most popular coastal destinations,” the listing said.
It includes hospitality buildings, including a bar, a commercial kitchen, and restaurant/dining areas, as well as an accommodation block, retail spaces, storage units, and ancillary buildings.
Bayleys said this was a “rare chance to reinvigorate a well-known coastal venue or reshape it entirely”, and even listed several possibilities for developing the site.
In recent years, the business has been run by two members of the Guinness family, brothers Ed and Ben Guinness, after the cafe was leased for a few years to Auckland businessman Craig Anderson.
However, in 2024, the company the cafe traded under while Anderson was in charge, Sawmill Holdings Ltd, went into liquidation, forcing the Guinness brothers to take back control of the business.
The final liquidators' report in March 2025 stated that the company had ceased trading and that the business had been taken over prior to the liquidation.
It stated that the company had entered into an agreement with the landlord to surrender its lease due to “large rental arrears” before its liquidation.
The report said the director advised that the company was “severely impacted” by Covid-19 lockdowns and persistent staff shortages.
On Monday, Ed Guinness told Stuff the family had decided a “while ago” that they were ready for a change after many years involved with the property and business.
“We've put a huge amount of time and energy into the sawmill over the years, and its taken a lot to get the place ready for the market. It’s definitely time for some fresh energy and a new chapter for the site.”
Guinness said they were “open” to whoever comes in next and to whatever direction the new owner may want to take the property. “Hopefully whoever buys it can continue to make it a place the community enjoys,” he said.
Located on the site of an historic sawmill, the cafe has attracted some of the biggest names in music over the years, while also offering up-and-coming acts a chance to showcase their music to a live audience.
Just some of the names to play at the Sawmill include Shihad, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Marlon Williams, The Beths and Bic Runga. International artists Courtney Barnett and Justin Townes Earle have also played there.
In 2018, Sawmill co-founder, Grattan Guinness tragically drowned at the nearby Goat Island Marine Reserve.
Stuff has approached the Leigh Sawmill cafe for comment.