Tony Astle's hopes are riding on Chiwahwah on The Terrace. It has yet to open.

A businessman who fell out with troubled chef and restaurateur Tony Astle has bought his well known restaurant King of Snake.

Various Astle companies went into liquidation last month with debts of $1.3 million including $300,000 GST.

Liquidator Brenton Hunt, of Insolvency Matters, confirmed on Wednesday that King of Snake, in Victoria St, had been sold to Mexicano's Group Ltd.

Mexicano's Group director and shareholder David Warring was a shareholder and operations manager in Astle's Christchurch restaurant/bar empire until October last year when they had an acrimonious break-up.

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Warring and his cousin, Daniel Button, bought the Astle group's Mexicano's restaurant and The Dirty Land cocktail lounge and parted company with him.

Astle kept King of Snake and Universo, in the Christchurch Art Gallery. He was trespassed from Mexicano's and The Dirty Bar after an incident earlier this year.

MARTIN VAN BEYNEN/STUFF King of Snake on Victoria St is one of Tony Astle's more successful restaurants.

Liquidator Brenton Hunt said the deal over King of Snake went unconditional on Tuesday and staff would be paid wages and holiday pay owing. Warring would not be taking over the debts of King of Snake Ltd and he was not at liberty to disclose the sale price.

He was increasingly confident new operators for Universo would be found soon and two parties were doing due diligence, he said.

Warring declined to comment but in a statement said the restaurant's staff had been retained.

Astle is left with the half-finished Chiwahwah bar and restaurant in The Terrace development on Oxford Tce. Astle creditor Lion Nathan and developer Antony Gough are hoping it will open soon with or without Astle.

Gough said he would have a clearer idea next week.