04 April 2012
Abbeville Estate:
Unique new heritage function centre opens at Auckland Airport
Auckland Airport today opened the Abbeville Estate, a unique heritage function venue in a lush, landscaped country setting with views across fields and beautiful country gardens. The venue is an ideal place to host weddings, corporate functions, sales conferences, product launches, celebrations and team building events.
General Manager Property for Auckland Airport, Peter Alexander, said, "We think this beautiful heritage estate is a fantastic addition to Auckland and to the Auckland Airport Business District. The estate features a number of carefully restored historic buildings, and will showcase New Zealand food and wine in a premium setting right on the doorstep of New Zealand’s biggest airport. We’re also very pleased to have one of New Zealand’s best operators in The Great Catering Company on board to run Abbeville Estate."
Sue Fleischl of The Great Catering Company said, "It has been a wonderful journey working with Auckland Airport on this project and we are very proud of what Abbeville has become. Abbeville Estate offers something quite unique; having a church, barn and homestead on the same property opens up a large variety of event possibilities. The rich soil is also perfect for our kitchen garden. The whole Estate oozes in personality. There is no venue quite like this in Auckland."
Between July 2010 and March 2012, Auckland Airport, in consultation with Historic Places Trust relocated the Westney Church and the Westney Homestead to make way for aeronautical development and restored the Abbeville Homestead (home and barn). The restored and revitalised Estate, based at Auckland Airport, includes Abbeville homestead, a barn and a church all in a beautifully landscaped country setting.
"We believe Abbeville Estate will appeal to a wide range of markets as a high-end and versatile function venue, including New Zealanders wanting a unique new venue for a function, and the growing international wedding market", said Mr Alexander.
Ends
www.abbeville.co.nz
Additional Background
- Auckland Airport has entered into a management agreement with The Great Catering Company (TGCC). TGCC will be responsible for operating Abbeville Estate as a function venue. TGCC is a New Zealand Company that was formed in 1995 and is owned and operated by Susan Fleischl. TGCC is a proven operator and is considered a market leader in the private and corporate catering sector
- These carefully restored buildings form Abbeville Estate, which is situated within the Auckland Airport Business District precinct called "The Common", an area that includes heritage and recreation activities.
- The concept for Abbeville Estate was developed by urban designer Common Ground in accordance with the principles of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) Treaty and the restoration of these fabulous heritage buildings was carefully undertaken and managed by a team of architects, project managers and contractors with experience in heritage projects.
- Abbeville Estate is part of a much wider master-planning and urban development approach from Auckland Airport, looking to develop a stronger sense of ‘place’ and add to the rapidly growing amenities in the Auckland Airport Business District, appealing to visitors, Aucklanders and businesses in the area.
- The development is a quality boutique development which is unique to this area and complementary to the cultural landscape, and offers significant tourism potential for the showcasing of New Zealand food and weddings