A salvaged 38-tonne glazed Christchurch air bridge shifted to Dunedin yesterday will soon be part of a new restaurant.
Harvest Court Mall owner Carl Angus said the 24m-long bridge was used between the Christchurch Convention Centre and the Christchurch Town Hall for Performing Arts, which were both earthquake-damaged.
The bridge, which had a side of glass and cross bracing removed, would be part of new Italian restaurant La Porchetta, in Albion Lane.
The $70,000 spent for the bridge was ''a fraction of its true cost''.
The 380sq m restaurant space, in the 5000sq m mall, would be ready for the tenant to fit out by the end of the month.
La Porchetta owner Mike Vincent (53) said he was in Dunedin yesterday to watch the ''fluoro jackets and testosterone'' move the bridge to the new restaurant he would lease.
The bridge would host some of the diners in the restaurant that would seat 150-200, he said.
Mr Vincent said he and wife Vicky (46) owned two La Porchetta restaurant franchises in Christchurch and the Dunedin franchise was an investment of nearly $1 million.
He hoped the restaurant would be open in late November. It would employ 25-30 staff.
He planned to advertise for staff in the ODT next month.
The first stages of a opening were the ''scariest'' for restaurant owners.
''Money goes out and nothing comes in ... I'm [a bit nervous].''
Arrow International site manager Che O'Neill said staff from Arrow International, Titan Cranes, Fulton Hogan and Action Engineering, and a 100-tonne and 50-tonne crane, were used to move the bridge yesterday.
