Bars back in business
There was positive energy in small pockets for the capital's return to (semi-normal) nightlife.
Many Wellington bars appeared to be playing last night – the first time in nine weeks such venues could reopen – by ear.
Andrew Gibson, owner of The Establishment at Courtenay Place, said early last night his business was doing ‘‘OK''.
‘‘People have realised [going out] is about talking to people, it's not about alcohol. This whole social distancing thing has worked – people care about [socialising].''
Gibson said it was nice seeing people back at the venue's tables again. The Establishment had introduced table service as part of the country's new restrictions which, while ‘‘pretty hard'' for staff, did make him proud.
‘‘I'm pretty proud of all of Wellington's hospitality industry. The whole street is doing the best they can . . . I hope Wellington goes back to the way it was.''
Many bars appeared to be using contact-tracing QR code reader signin services for punters wanting to enjoy drinks, and there were strict caps on group numbers.
A walk down Courtenay Place about 7pm revealed dozens out but far fewer than usual. One couple who spoke to Stuff, after drinks at Lulu Bar, were already calling it a night about 6.45pm. But there were pockets of activity elsewhere.
Gwilym Waldren, owner of Rogue & Vagabond on Garrett St, said the evening was going ‘‘really good'' about 7pm, with tables booked out through the night.
‘‘People clearly want to go out and have fun ... The mood is good, everyone's happy, they're really enjoying being here, they're eating, drinking, being sociable. But it's very relaxed, there's a chill vibe.''
Rogue & Vagabond was also playing the situation by ear. In ‘‘the old days'', Waldren said the bar would have had a band on to 3am most Thursdays. But there was a question mark over whether the venue would remain open that late.
‘‘It is what it is. We're having a good, little, steady night. Hopefully, we'll have a lot of those steady nights in the future. They're not huge and
cranking . . . but it's nice seeing familiar faces walking in the door.''
And while overall foot traffic was ‘‘definitely'' down, this perhaps was to be expected on a work night. It's also getting colder – MetService forecast a low of about 11 degrees Celsius overnight Thursday in Wellington.
Jose Ubiaga, director of Dakota Bar, on Courtenay Place, said about 7pm that things were ‘‘not hectic at all''. However, the bar had only been open for a couple of hours then.
‘‘Wellington central has been pretty quiet since level 2, there wasn't too much of a jump. It's been pretty grim.''
Ubiaga said Dakota had to shut down its dance floor, and could only have about 25 per cent of its normal capacity under the new restrictions. He was hopeful Courtenay Place being shut to traffic overnight on Friday and Saturday nights might entice more people out.
‘‘We just need to get some normality and go out. Go out, have a meal, have a couple of drinks, spend some money with some other people. That kind of thing helps us all.''
Elsewhere in New Zealand, the situation was similar. In Auckland's upmarket Ponsonby, workers made their way straight to bars just after 5pm, building up to decent crowds as the night went on. Christchurch's central popular hospitality precinct Oxford Tce also had a slow start but by 7pm, bars had filled up.