Harbourside Ocean Bar Grill to Close Amid Post-COVID Hospitality Pressures

Iconic waterfront restaurant Harbourside Ocean Bar Grill, operating in Auckland’s Central Business District since 1988, will cease operations on 13 June 2026. Owners Good Group Hospitality cited “lower sales and ever-increasing costs” as the primary reason for not renewing the lease on the Ferry Building premises.

The New Zealand HeraldNewstalk ZB

Harbourside’s management noted that the venue “traded well prior to Covid” but experienced a sustained decline in patronage and profit margins after the pandemic. The decision reflects a broader trend in New Zealand’s hospitality sector, where numerous long-standing establishments have shuttered in recent months.

Newstalk ZB

According to data released by market-research firm Cetrix, 2 564 hospitality businesses closed in the 12 months to August 2025, marking a 19 % increase over the previous year. The closures include the Karangahape Road café and bar Verona (34 years in operation) and Mission Bay’s Belgian bar and eatery De Fontein, both announced in the weeks preceding Harbourside’s notice.

Newstalk ZB

Good Group Hospitality issued a statement confirming that the post-Covid environment rendered Harbourside “no longer commercially viable,” prompting the decision to end the lease. The group emphasized that the closure does not affect its other outlets in Auckland and Queenstown, and that the lease for its sister venue, Botswana Butchery Auckland, located on the ground floor of the same Ferry Building, has been renewed.

Newstalk ZB

Industry observers and local commentators have described the shutdown as “another blow to the city,” highlighting the cumulative loss of iconic dining venues and the strain on Auckland’s cultural landscape. The surge in closures underscores concerns about rising operational costs, labor shortages, and shifting consumer habits that continue to challenge the sector’s sustainability.

Newstalk ZB

• “Harbourside traded well prior to Covid. However, since Covid, lower sales and ever-increasing costs has meant operating the restaurant is no longer commercially viable so the decision was made not to renew the lease and close the business,“ — Good Group Hospitality, statement

The New Zealand Herald

• “This was a very difficult decision,” — Good Group Hospitality, statement

Newstalk ZB

• “Harbourside is an iconic restaurant with enormous history, and we are incredibly proud of what it has represented to Auckland over nearly four decades.” — Good Group Hospitality, statement

Newstalk ZB

• “The lease on our sister restaurant Botswana Butchery Auckland on the ground floor below in the Ferry Building has however been renewed.” — Good Group Hospitality, statement

The New Zealand Herald

Harbourside will remain open to serve customers until its final day on 13 June 2026. Botswana Butchery Auckland will continue operations under the renewed lease, while the broader hospitality community watches for further developments amid an environment of heightened economic pressure.

The New Zealand Herald