A new LGBT venue has been announced for Wellington, and is currently undergoing refurbishment for its grand opening in mid-October. ‘Our Bar' is opening in the Cuba Street villa-type venue that was previously home to ‘Neat.' Owned by Wellington lesbians Sharon Boyd and Ruth Post, the new venue will be “pub-like”, offering a “comfortable loungy-type space where gay men and lesbians alike will feel right at home.” “It will be inexpensive, but comfortable, a place where you can go for a drink after work, take along your straight friends, have a bite to eat and a drink before hitting the clubs,” says Boyd, who is well-known on the Wellington LGBT scene for her involvement with Amazon Softball and GAP. After Pound closed down, “we did some market research,” said Boyd, “asking people what they wanted in a LGBT venue.” The Cuba Street venue is “ideal – it's a family house for a family-like crowd. Everyone will feel comfortable here – gay men and lesbians.” It's all about fostering a stronger sense of community, says Boyd. Already, scores of friends and family have turned out in their droves to help refit the venue, says Boyd, "showing how much support there is out there in our community." Boyd says she'd always wanted to open a bar for the gay and lesbian communities, and after talking to people around the Wellington scene, “what started out as a whim has really taken off!” Since Pound closed down in early August, LGBT clubbers have been frequenting iMerst in Dixon Street for their weekly ‘pink' nights. Meanwhile, the new club ‘Spicehammer' will open in early October, in the space previously occupied by Pound, also in Dixon Street. It promises to be the premier queer venue in Wellington, says owner Julian Barsony. With the ex-owners of Pound, Mal and Scott Kennedy-Vaughan, due to open another LGBT venue in the New Year, the Wellington scene looks set to develop a healthy complement of pubs, clubs and bars, says Mal. Ref: GayNZ.com (d)
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Sunday, 10th September 2006 - 12:00pm