New venue signals momentum for Hamilton riverfront

Wednesday, 4 February 2026

Fresh hospitality investment is set to lure diners to the banks of the Waikato River at a spot that’s long been eyed for projects to show off the city’s biggest natural asset.

A bar and restaurant - Regatta - is set to open late autumn in the former Ferrybank Reception Centre in Grantham St.

The development, on the most accessible section of city’s riverbank under arch of the Victoria Bridge, comes soon after the CBD’s South End was given a massive boost with the opening of the BNZ Theatre and Hamilton Hotel.

The project is being welcomed as a sign of momentum on the city’s riverfront, with Hamilton deputy mayor Geoff Taylor - long an advocate of projects to turn the city back to the river - saying redeveloping the river was “absolutely integral” to revitalising the central city.

“I’m really hopeful that we’re going to see the southern part of Victoria Street buzz like it used to,” he said.

“The more people that you have in your central city, the more you feel a bit of a buzz, the safer you feel, it all sort of adds up.”

Behind the venue are husband and wife Paul and Jess Gittings, who co-own cafés Frank Food and Wyld in Raglan.

Their new Grantham Street bar and restaurant, set to open in late autumn, will be called Regatta - a nod to the area’s boating history.

“It was really just the obvious choice for us,” Paul said.

The redevelopment is a joint venture between the couple and the Hamilton Rowing Club, aimed at modernising the river front building and drawing more people down to the water’s edge. The site boasts sweeping views from the nearby bridge across to Memorial Park and north.

“[It] was really just an outstanding opportunity for us to continue to do what we do in an unprecedented location in Hamilton,” Paul said.

Their aim is to create a community-focused space “where we can open the doors every day and let them come into the space and enjoy some top quality food and drink, right on the banks of our beautiful river”.

“We're excited to be right in the middle of the CBD and the central connect and, just have our spot down the river, so yeah, we feel super optimistic about it.”

Hamilton Rowing Club president Byron Arnold said it had been time for a “refresh along the river”.

“[We] want to get more people down and enjoying the space that we call our own and so hopefully a café brings some people along.”

Under the arrangement, the restaurant would lease the space from Hamilton Rowing Club, with the revenue going towards supporting rowing teams.

He was grateful for community and trust support which had enabled the project.

“They're forever going to be a part of what the rowing club's going to become,” he said.

For Taylor, new developments were helping to reinvigorate southern Victoria Street as the city’s entertainment quarter.

The council was also working alongside developers to ensure central city streets were looking good once projects were completed, he said.

“It’s just about us doing our bit, really.”

Taylor said it was great to see people committed to new developments in the CBD such as Regatta.

“I'm really excited to see someone going in there with something really upmarket,” he said.

“I think Hamiltonians will love it.”