A Wellington nightclub is set to step into the breach, providing a "safe, hassle-free space" for the local LGBT community, just days after Pound closed its doors, and the announcement by Monkey Bar that it is also closing down. Two straight lads, Matthew Simpson and Stuart Kingston, co-owners of the 3-month old iMerst Club at 13 Dixon Street, are extending their welcome to gays, announcing a monthly gay night, complete with drag and dance music, with the first one kicking off on Friday August 25. Simpson says he was approached by a gay friend who suggested the opportunity in light of the recent closures of LGBT venues in the city. Pound closed its doors last Saturday, and Monkey Bar's final day of operation is today. "So I went to Mal and Scotty (ex-Pound) and asked them to come onboard to help organise the first event. Basically, we're just transferring the scene from one side of Dixon Street to the other," says Simpson. "We'll be launching the venue as a new hotspot for the gay community." Simpson says iMerst has a close association with the gay community. In its prior incarnation as the Phoenix Theatre, it hosted the Mr Gay New Zealand competition, and the current clientele is "not stereotypical, more of the 'alternative lifestyle' set, who enjoy dancing to good music." Simpson is working with Mal and Scotty to secure drag acts for their launch, and he and Kingston look forward to providing a "safe haven" for the LGBT community in Wellington. See GayNZ.com's Events Diary for details. Ref: GayNZ.com (d)
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Saturday, 12th August 2006 - 12:00pm