The new Christchurch owners of the New Orleans Hotel, in Arrowtown, are considering revamping the old pub and putting a cafe downstairs.
Arrowtown, which has a population of 2400, already has 21 cafes, bars and eateries between Arrow Lane, Buckingham St and Ramshaw Lane.
New owner-operator Peter Whittaker and manager Georgie Whittaker have been looking at changes to the premises since they first took over at the beginning of July, but Miss Whittaker says their plans are not set in stone.
"It's all still sort of up in the air, but we are looking at cafe options for downstairs."
The 23-year-old said she would like to see the Fox's Bar downstairs branch off from the New Orleans bar upstairs and become a licensed cafe-bar in its own right.
"Almost having it as a complete separate business [from the New Orleans pub]."
Although the town's cafe scene may be over-catering for its population, Arrowtown Promotion and Business Association chairman Adin May said much of what the town did was for its tourist market.
"Obviously a large part of the Arrowtown economy is not just catering for the local market, but for the visiting international market as well."
He said he would be pleased to see another cafe pop up in Arrowtown and he would look forward to hearing of any new "exciting plans" for the pub.
"It's great to see the hospitality industry in Arrowtown going ahead, because these developments have got to be good for the town."
Having the bar up top would set the cafe apart from the others in Arrowtown because it would be licensed and open later than regular cafes, Miss Whittaker said.
"We will still be a bar and will still have the ability to keep open to the late hours."
Miss Whittaker moved from Christchurch to Arrowtown in July, to start work on behalf of a trust established by her father - who has also relocated from the city to the village - and the John McCarthy family.
The trust took over the lease of the 145-year-old premises, specifically the bar and restaurant and Fox's Bar, from Queenstown-based Good Group Ltd.
Miss Whittaker has worked in hospitality since she was 17, but she said her experience was predominantly with the drinks side of things and she would love to enter the food industry.
"I'm very new at the food thing, but I'm all right at baking."
Although she was new on the food front, her sister, Jess Marks, would return home from the south of France where she had been working as a chef, so there would be plenty of experience, Miss Whittaker said.
Any changes would not be rapid, the Whittakers said.
They appreciated the tradition of the hotel and how the population felt about that.
Mr Whittaker said he was looking forward to the excitement of the Rugby World Cup and had no doubt business would pick up. The hotel was the official "World Cup bar" in Arrowtown.
"With the World Cup, we will get busy," he said.
Seeking refreshment?
Ramshaw Lane
• The Willows Cafe and Bar
• Bonjour
• Arrow Thai
Buckingham St
• Arrowtown Bakery
• Arrowtown Bakery Cafe
• Cafe Mondo
• Saffron
• Pesto
• The Stables
• The Shed
• Fresh Fish Bros
• Arrow Cafe
• Arrow Brewing Company
• Cook's Store and Deli
• Postmaster's Provisions
• The Tap
• Pannikins Cafe
• New Orleans
Arrow Lane
• Mantra
• Lost Cafe
