Pop-up bar proposal raises concern
An Invercargill Licensing Trust proposal to lease part of Wachner Place in the CBD to operate a container bar has met some opposition.
The trust wants to open the container bar when it vacates the nearby Kiln bar in the CBD while its new hotel is being built.
Mark Williams, owner of the Quest Hotel, which is adjacent to Wachner Place, said the space was used by the public for relaxing and eating and there were already two bars in the area.
The Quest looked down on Wachner Place and it acted as an amphitheatre, Williams said. Noise from the container bar would affect people staying in nearby accommodation, including the Quest.
He was also concerned about the extra people drinking in the area and problems from that.
Trust general manager Chris Ramsay, also speaking at the council meeting, said the container bar would provide complementary activity to the surrounding area. The trust’s prime motivation to lease part of Wachner Place from the council for the container bar was to fill the gap left by the Kiln’s closure and add vibrancy to the area.
Ramsay wanted the bar to have a licence until 1am but would accept 11pm if dictated by the council.
The bar would have walls and a roof and be a contained pop-up bar, he said. There would be no live music, but instead background music, and the trust would take responsibility for the public toilets at Wachner Place if the bar got the go-ahead.
‘‘What we are proposing isn’t going to be a rowdy late-night bar, that’s not our intention at all.’’
He estimated seating would be for 150 to 200 people.
Cr Lloyd Esler said Wachner Place was a valuable public space for people to gather and the bar would block that out.
Ramsay said the trust was very likely to remove the container bar from Wachner Place when its new hotel was opened, and they could then use the container bar for other locations, such as Christmas at the Races.
‘‘That’s the real reason we are excited by this innovation, it works in other cities’’ he said.
‘‘I just encourage you to back us to make a pretty exciting initiative for the CBD.’’
The trust would comply with whatever restrictions were required to make it happen, he said.
Cr Toni Biddle said it would enhance the city and Wachner Place.
Cr Allan Arnold said the noise from 150-200 people would be substantial and he wanted more information on the proposal.
However, councillors voted to indicate their support for the concept generally and requested chief executive Clare Hadley to negotiate the details of the proposal, to be brought back to council in the new year.