Fund hopes to bring life back to Wellington hospitality

A new fund hopes to create innovators for the capital's struggling hospitality industry, sending them overseas to bring back fresh ideas.

The fund has been created by the family of David George, who opened Lido Cafe on Victoria Street in 1990, and died last year.

Lido Cafe introduced pavement dining to the capital, securing its first outdoor liquor licence, and was known for bringing live music to the corner of Victoria and Wakefield streets.

The Lido Trailblazer Fund would give one Wellington hospitality professional per year $12,500 to travel, train, research, or pursue an experience that could change the course of their career.

Penny De Borst from the Wellington Culinary Events Trust said George was known for challenging the norms and taking risks.

"It was a bit of a revolutionary time in cafe culture in Wellington."

She said the fund hoped to give back to Wellington, while retaining emerging talent.

"It's no secret to anyone that hospitality has had a tough few years, and it doesn't feel like that has really shifted post-Covid."

Applicants were encourgaed to be ambitious about the experience that could take their careers forward, with more adventurous ideas preferred over traditional training.

"Wellington's hospitality scene was built by independent thinkers, people who travelled, took chances and brought new ideas home. That's how a city's food culture evolves."

George's family intended the fund to be annual.

Applications were open now until 11 December, and the winner would be annouced in Febuary.