MARTINIS & BIKINIS
MAIDS BAR OPENS
THE Gold Coast’s worldfamous Meter Maids of Surfers Paradise have saved you from parking fines for more than 50 years – now you can party with them.
More than five decades after the concept was born, the Meter Maids today open their own bar in the centre of the Surfers hospitality precinct.
It is staffed entirely by Meter Maids in swimsuits, hot pants and high heels – the sole male staffer is manager Andrew Masterson.
For the launch, from 11.30am today, customers will receive free chicken wings from the venture’s food partner, award-winning Brisbanebased King of the Wings.
Meter Maids brand owner Roberta Aitchison, who the Bulletin this month revealed had teamed with co-owner John Sankey and silent partners to do the bar, said she first had the idea 10 years ago.
“But I’ve never had the finance and never been in the right situation but I’ve put heads together with some people and we said ‘If can get the finance, let’s do something’ and we did.”
Bar staffer and former Meter Maid Tiylah Rusnik, 23, said it would be interesting to see how it was received..
“I have worked in a lot of bar venues in Surfers and this one has a point of difference.”
While Meter Maid-ing involved feeding parking meters to save motorists from fines, selling merchandise and posing for photos, the key was to have fun, she said, adding she’d adopt that approach behind the bar too.
Ms Rusnik, who finished strutting her stuff around Surfers three years ago, said she believed it would come down to the personality and character of the staff.
“One of the girls I was a Meter Maid with convinced me to come back and said this was going to be fun.”
The bar, on Orchid Ave, will open seven days and is licensed until midnight.
Features include a Meter Maid cut-out with a face hole for patron selfies, a beach scene wall for photos with staff and a branded VW sticking out of one wall.
The venue also celebrates the Meter Maids’ colourful history including a display of the costumes down the years.
Mr Sankey, who has returned to Australia after 20 years globetrotting as a top heavy metal drummer, said the fit-out was six-figures and aimed to create a vintage beach culture vibe.