Raviz Indian Eatery Reopens After Fire Devastation
The Blow and Immediate Aftermath
Raviz Indian Eatery in Auckland’s CBD has reopened after a fire burned through the premises in early March. Photo / Dean Purcell
On March 6, emergency services responded to a blaze that erupted in the restaurant’s kitchen, causing extensive smoke damage to the dining area and bar. Photo / Anna Heath
Owner Ravraj Singh said the building’s insurance via the body corporate covered kitchen repairs, but his business policy had lapsed, leaving him to shoulder the rest of the costs.
Family, Friends and Community Rally
Owner Ravraj Singh covered most shopfitting costs himself through savings, selling valuables and help from family. Photo / Dean Purcell
Singh described the financial strain: he took loans, borrowed from siblings and parents, and even sold old shares and prized gifts to keep afloat. He noted that asking for a large sum was uncomfortable after three decades in the community.
His brother’s prompt support felt “like giving oxygen” to the struggling business, and Singh began hiring his own shopfitters while the body‑corporate‑appointed builders started measuring for repairs.
Singh and his wife contributed labor themselves—painting bathrooms, ceilings and walls—often working from 10 a.m. until midnight to reduce expenses.
He also praised suppliers and Genesis Energy for suspending bill payments until the restaurant could reopen, allowing him to clear those debts once trading resumed.
Reopening and Looking Ahead
Singh reopened his revamped restaurant at the start of last week. Photo / Dean Purcell
The reopening brought a heart‑warming moment when a local church group visited, learned of the fire and offered to sing a prayer for him. Singh said the gesture embodied the Kiwi spirit of community support.
Loyal regulars, including office workers who had maintained their weekly lunch routine, returned, though Singh acknowledged missing a few customers and stressed that the value lies in relationships rather than spend.
Reflecting on the roughly 100‑day closure, Singh said the ordeal felt closer to a year and taught him resilience, gratitude and the importance of keeping his eight‑member team paid despite four staff members leaving.
He urged patrons to continue supporting the eatery, noting that Auckland’s hospitality sector remains challenging and that every bit of help matters.
“It’s just like, you’ve given up and everything’s shattered.
“It’s very hard to manage your family when you know that’s your only livelihood, right?”
Given smoke damage had marred other spaces, including the dining room and bar, the hope for a quick reopening was short-lived.
Singh said the building was insured by the body corporate, meaning kitchen repairs were covered, but as the business insurance had lapsed, the rest was left to him.
Repair work also stalled in the first 60 days, further burdening Singh while he worked to find alternative income to maintain his business and support his family.
“We took loans, took money from my siblings, parents … they all contributed bit by bit,” he said.
“[My brother] came to know that this thing happened. And he called me and said, ‘You should be telling us, we are family’.
“I’ve lived here 30 years. We have good relations, but I don’t have that ability to go and say, ‘Hey, give me $50,000’.”
With his brother undeterred, Singh said receiving the first payment was “like giving oxygen” to the business.
“I started hiring my own shopfitters … same time, the body corporate insurance assigned builders and they started measuring and all this stuff.
“So they started the kitchen work at the same time that we started.”
For Singh, “there was no other option” than to reopen the restaurant, which he’d worked in – and subsequently took ownership of from his uncle – throughout his time in New Zealand.
“I never did any jobs … I was always engaged with the business.”
Singh and his wife tried to cut renovation costs where possible by taking on jobs themselves, like painting the bathroom, ceiling and walls.
“Whatever we could do, we did it, me and my wife,” he said.
“We would come here at 10am and go by midnight.”
Another constant worry was how he’d be able to retain the restaurant’s eight employees through the closure.
“Four have left, and two, I’ve just kept myself. When I used to come here, they used to come, they’d help me out [with shopfitting].
“I have to keep paying them, because they have rent to pay.”
Emergency services were called to the premises on March 6 after a fire broke out in its kitchen. Photo / Anna Heath
Singh said he did little things to bolster his savings, such as selling old shares and prized gifts.
“Everything we did, that was to survive and to keep afloat.
“We didn’t want to go and say to people, ‘Hey, we’re just broke and we don’t have anything’.”
He also gave his suppliers and Genesis Energy a “hats off” for suspending bill payments until the restaurant could reopen, with Singh now able to clear them.
During last week’s reopening, Singh spoke of a special moment when a local church group came in to dine.
After learning about the fire, the leader told Singh they wanted to sing him a prayer.
“They came to know these things happened. I didn’t say it to them,” he said.
“I said thank you very much. For me, it’s one of those things, it’s nostalgia, how the community comes and helps you … that’s New Zealand. This was a real example.”
Loyal regulars have begun to catch wind of the reopening too, with a group of office workers’ usual weekly lunch enduring despite the fire when the Herald came to visit.
“I miss a few customers,” Singh said.
“It’s not about them spending $30 a night or whatever, you know, it’s about the relationships.”
Singh said the last 100 days had “taught me a lot”, adding the time had felt closer to one year.
“Lots of people come and say, ‘It’s great to see you guys back again’,” he said.
“Everyone was thinking that because hospitality is struggling so bad, even [some of] the great restaurants … aren’t able to manage this tough time.
“We just want to make people aware that we are back and thank those who have supported us or started supporting us again.
“We want support as much as possible. Because number one, the city is really tough now.”
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