Guest Simon* Report post Posted March 30, 2010 The Gardens Tavern in North Dunedin is threatening closure. All scarfies and true Southern Men (and frontbums) need to rally to the cause to save this hallowed institution! I frequented this place from a very tender age, my sister flatted next door during her Varsity days too! Macca know's it's worth saving as well! A small group of scarfies are seeking 200 students to help save a popular Dunedin bar. The Gardens Tavern in Castle Street is being sold because owner Peter Innes-Jones was finding it difficult to make money, the Otago Daily Times reported. Upset at its possible closure, Otago University flatmates Blake Luff, Nathan Parker and Tom McKnight devised a plan to buy the drinking hole -- but they need a little help. If they can convince 200 students to invest $2500 each, television personality Marc Ellis has said his company could raise a loan for the rest of the cost of the bar, valued at $1.025 million. A board of directors would then be appointed to start making the pub profitable. Students had it made clear they wanted to see the pub stay open, Mr Luff said. "We don't want to see it go, so we're trying to do something about it." Being owned by students would have a positive effect on business and it should not take too long to repay the loan, he said. Offers for the pub close on April 14. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/...nedin-bar#share There must be a facebook page for this already, dig it up and spread the word. SAVE THE GARDIES! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BLACK DORIS 9 Report post Posted March 30, 2010 And the whales! Apologies, just bein cheeky. Save the gardies!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Simon* Report post Posted March 30, 2010 No Rio you're right - whales too! If the whales were saved, they'd sure as sh*t wanna drink some piss at the Gardies! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
antil33t 90 Report post Posted March 30, 2010 Gardies is pretty damn mint tbh. I'm pretty sure due to political bullshit they have to shut early, and can't stay open all night. Probably why they're loosing money really... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BLACK DORIS 9 Report post Posted March 31, 2010 No Rio you're right - whales too! If the whales were saved, they'd sure as sh*t wanna drink some piss at the Gardies! Haha, I hear the scarfies drink like whales... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cliffdunedin 8 Report post Posted March 31, 2010 I used to live right next door to gardies during my student days and the main problem with it, is its in a residential area and has to close at 12am, still didn't stop it being packed out pretty muxh every night though! It seems alot of the the classic old school student pubs (Bowler, Gardies, Captain Cook, Ori etc) are getting pressured by the DCC/Otago University etc to close their doors early or eventually close down for good so the Uni can buy the prime land (in case of the bowler) Would be a shame if it closes down but i can see someone buying it out right instead of having 5 million investors buying a part of it Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
antil33t 90 Report post Posted March 31, 2010 The bowler is now near the outback isn't it? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cliffdunedin 8 Report post Posted March 31, 2010 I think it's the old woolshed/backstage it may have changed name again though! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
antony 0 Report post Posted March 31, 2010 (edited) By the status' on my facebook, I think the uni has bought it. Gardies has been sold... Stupid uni. If you cant beat them, buy them. Also, the Bowler moved to the old Backstage after being basically forced out of their original building of over 100 years (or something like that). Have a feeling its changed its name from the Bowler to something else now tho??? Apparently they want the Cook now, to build a car park on? That place is a much apart of First Year as BSNS105 is. E: Shows how much I spent at the pubs, I leave Dunedin and they all close down Edited March 31, 2010 by antony Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
antil33t 90 Report post Posted March 31, 2010 (edited) Stupid Uni, No doubt they'll just tell us to "get over it". They could've bought the stadium land instead and not built a homo stadium there. Or just left it and let me continue parking there everyday. Edited March 31, 2010 by antil33t Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bravo 35 Report post Posted March 31, 2010 The cook was bought by a group of students a few years back. Cliff and some of you other older Dunedinites might be able to back me here, but my recollection is that it wasn't the best thing for the pub as the student owners didn't really do it right. The Cook has been around for longer than me. IMO it should have historic places protection. There's an old stables and living quarters underneath it from when it was a pub in horse and cart days. There used to be flag poles outside. I've heard stories from students in the 70's who were drinking there under age on the top floor who would stake a lookout at the window. When the cops came in the bottom they'd all jump out the window down the flag pole and hike it out of there. One guy told me he used to park his motorbike outside to use to get away from the constabulary. Raised the handle bars up so he could blast across the footbridges over the Leith without the handle bars hitting the handrails, and thus leave the cops behind. Good times. As for the Gardies - it'd be a shame to lose it, but it's more of a shame to lose the older "institutions" with character - like the Fat Ladies Arms, The Robbie Burns (yes I know it's still there, but not in its former glory), and so on. Places like the outback will never really measure up. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Simon* Report post Posted March 31, 2010 Haha I used to drink at the Cook when I was at school. My part time job was working at the Robbie Burns. I'd go in with the staff and if the cops raided a couple of the bigger guys would throw me over the garden bar wall Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cliffdunedin 8 Report post Posted March 31, 2010 The cook was bought by a group of students a few years back. Cliff and some of you other older Dunedinites might be able to back me here, but my recollection is that it wasn't the best thing for the pub as the student owners didn't really do it right. The Cook has been around for longer than me. IMO it should have historic places protection. There's an old stables and living quarters underneath it from when it was a pub in horse and cart days. Yeah graham you are right, it was bought by a group of rich mummys boys who's parents fronted them the 600k needed and they 'prettied' it up which took some of the character away imo, they then used the capital to buy another bar in the octagon (Alibi) and own Velvet burger and Cook construction which are all doing well...so i guess they do have a business head. Most of the pressure is def coming from the Uni as the "Incidents" that are happening are no different to when you me and the boys used to bust down there G...they just want the land Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bravo 35 Report post Posted March 31, 2010 Yep. I see Keith went bust. You know what he's up to these days? (Ex-owner of Two Bears, Southern Break, Arthur Daley's, etc) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cliffdunedin 8 Report post Posted March 31, 2010 No i saw him at his old mans funeral at the start of the year (Tom ex Kc's owner) but was not the ideal situation for a catch up. fairly sure he's no longer in hospo anymore though could be wrong, very rarely make it to town anymore...getting too long in the tooth bro lol Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bravo 35 Report post Posted March 31, 2010 No i saw him at his old mans funeral at the start of the year (Tom ex Kc's owner) but was not the ideal situation for a catch up. fairly sure he's no longer in hospo anymore though could be wrong, very rarely make it to town anymore...getting too long in the tooth bro lol Tom's his uncle, but yep. Didn't hear about Tom, that's sad, but the way he smoked/drinked, I'm surprised he made it that long TBH. Just looked him up and spoke to his wife. She's going to get him to ring me later on. Starting to get off topic - will PM details but she confirmed he's no longer hospo. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
antil33t 90 Report post Posted April 4, 2010 hahaha, accomidation for international students on Castle Street. I see this ending well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
