Did all we could

When “Redux” proposed to The Arts Centre trustees in 2022, when I was chair, that it wanted to restore the earthquakedamaged Dux building and reopen its famous brew-bar, nobody was more excited than me. My generation loved the Dux – its bands, ambience, food and brews.

As trustees, we did everything we could to find a way for The Dux to return. In the end, it was the financials, and the Arts Centre’s statutory legal status, that sank the plan. The cost of restoring the extensively damaged buildings came in at $12 million. But under the 2015 Arts Centre of Christchurch Act of Parliament, the land and buildings cannot be sold, meaning no developer could use an arts centre building as security for investors, or lenders.

To get around this, Redux offered to lease the land with its restored building using a 50-year ground lease. But the proposed ground lease, even at market level, meant forgoing huge potential income, compared with restoring and renting out the building ourselves at some time in the future. Under Redux’s offer, the proposed annual income for The Arts Centre was negligible by comparison with

other tenants already on site.

So 18 months ago we reluctantly agreed to disagree with Redux and parted company.

One day, when The Arts Centre’s future finances are secure with the help of ongoing city council financial support, great brews, food, bands and the fun times will return. With a renewed Dux or another popular operator.

Felicity Price ONZM, former chair, Christchurch Arts Centre