Dunedin's main gay venue, The Pit bar, will not re-open after lease negotiations with its landlord failed. Grant Benson, who took over management of the bar earlier this year says he was forced to close The Pit just before Easter and there is now no possibility of the venue re-opening its doors as a gay venue. “It was a real shame to have tgo close, there were heaps of people using the venue,” he says, adding that he would consider opening another similar venue “but that may be quite some time in the future.” Meanwhile, Dunedin's gay events now centre around monthly events at Bodyworks men's sauna and functions arranged by University-based gay group UniQ. Ref: GayNZ.com (j)