A man found dead in his central Napier flat on Sunday has been named by police as 68-year-old Colin Blithe.

Police opened a homicide inquiry following the mid-afternoon discovery of the deceased in his upstairs room off Theatre Lane, between Emerson and Tennyson streets, after two friends from the nearby Bay City Club went to the building concerned that he had not been seen for a couple of days.

Police opened a homicide inquiry, conducting a scene examination yesterday and last night and were awaiting results of a post mortem examination Palmerston North today to establish the cause of death before deciding on the future of the investigation.

He was a tenant and handyman-caretaker in the building and was found deceased after two friends from the nearby Bay City Club became concerned for his wellbeing having not seen him in the previous couple of days.

He remained in the building as police established an inquiry team, and he was being removed on Monday to be taken to Palmerston North for the post mortem, said Detective Inspector Martin James, of Hawke’s Bay CIB.

“At this stage, Police are not in a position to provide further details about the man’s identity, however, will look to do so in due course,” he said. “Police are working to establish what has occurred and are following positive lines of enquiry into the circumstances of the incident.”

Bay City Club president Blu Corlett said Colin Blithe, who had at least one daughter and one son living outside Hawke’s Bay and had a career in building in construction, was a well-liked long-time member, and former vice-president, who “would do anything for anyone, all voluntary, and expect nothing in return.”

He had used his skills in numerous voluntary ways, and left his mark on “90 per cent of the way the club looks today”, about 40 years after what is officially known as the Hawke’s Bay Commercial Travellers Club moved into what were former lodge premises off lower Milton Rd.

“He was a good mate to everyone here that knew him, with a good heart and a good soul,” he said. “He would do anything for anyone, he never held a grudge, would just laugh it off. And he had a good humour – he’d even laugh at himself.”

He visited the club at least once a week, and would often call in to see the president-manager during the day to discuss ideas about things that could be done around the club and other issues

As police began a scene investigation on Monday, tourists, many from cruise liners berthed at Napier Port, were photographing scenes outside, most notably the surrealist artwork on its outer wool entering the lane from the Emerson St end.