From the Waikato Times: Two barefoot men, one with a bushy white beard, sat outside a cafe in Matamata yesterday, but a closer inspection revealed a marked lack of hair on their smooth feet.

With the Hobbiton movie set near Matamata closed for filming on Wednesday, the Waikato Times’ hunt for hobbits is on.

The permit given to production company 3 Foot 7 to film in Matamata was for filming rights lasting no more than 15 days before November 8, but there have been no movie star sightings yet.

Espresso To Go owner Bill Anderson said they would be willing to make hobbit-sized coffees if the demand was there but last time around 3 Foot 7 had their own cafe on set, so he was not holding out hope for an influx of Hollywood big spenders.

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