Gigs cancelled as The Mayfair closes
One of New Plymouth’s top night spots has closed its doors, leading to the cancellation of a number of upcoming gigs.
The liquor licence for The Mayfair, on Devon St West, expired on October 16 and a renewal application has not been made, Katrina Brunton of the New Plymouth District Council confirmed.
A new licence would need to be applied for and approved for the premises to start serving alcohol again, she said in an emailed statement yesterday.
Owner Dillon Wilson closed the popular bar and eatery a week ago after taking back the reins when an agreement to sell to another party fell through, he said.
He hoped the closure would only be temporary but admitted he was unsure whether he would reopen the doors or sell up.
Meanwhile, he was working with other venues to help accommodate changes to upcoming events, he said.
Some gigs, including Grayson Hugh & Polly Messer and WildStorm, scheduled for the coming months on website Eventfinda, are now listed as cancelled, while concert Che Fu LIVE has been relocated to Crowded House.
Wilson advised ticket holders of any cancelled events to get in touch with the promoters.
‘‘It’s not an ideal situation for anyone and not how I wanted to be spending my entry to summer trading,’’ he said.
Wilson, an engineer who bought the business in April last year, also owns Devon St East’s Club 55, which he said would remain open.
Part of the reason for his initial selling of The Mayfair, which housed a venue for live entertainment and a restaurant, was so he could better focus on the running of Club 55, he said.
The Mayfair was put on the market in May 2017 by a team of local publicans asking for offers of more than $450,000.
About five years prior, the group had transformed the Mayfair Theatre into the multipurpose venue it is now.
The art deco building was built in 1916 and started life as Everybody’s Picture Theatre.