Fri 4 Oct 2013 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
Putting the final touches to the new bar's decor Auckland's gay scene will have more bars and licensed premises than ever before with the opening of a new gay bar tonight. Poof, a boutique bar, will open on Ponsonby Road, in premises near the top of Franklin Road which used to be occupied by Lola bar, which was gay, and more latterly Loco, which wasn't. Other glbti alcohol-licensed bars and nightclubs in the city include Urge, Legend, Family and Eagle, all on nearby Karangahape Road. Poof is owned by Wayne Clark, the long-time owner of Family, who also had Lola bar. Its decor is taken from pop comic books of the 50s and 60s, updated to reflect gays and lesbians and with cheeky messages in the speech balloons which Clarke himself authored. "It's all a bit Batman and Robin," he says. He says the name of the new venue is designed to have a bit of fun, with the word 'Poof' taken from the words such as 'Pow' which were used to add visual effect to the Batman series' fight imagery. "We've had a little bit of negative reaction, only about ten percent I'd say, but it's a quirky name which is good for Ponsonby Road and it's a little bit cheeky for these days when society is more liberal and we gays are more accepted."
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Friday, 4th October 2013 - 10:48am