Courtenay Place to close to traffic for New Year’s Eve

Wednesday, 11 September 2024

Bar owner Jeremy Smith is one of 35 businesses who pitched a Courtenay Place street festival for New Year's Eve.Pictured: Left to right; Mat Lear, co-owner of Lulu and Jeremy Smith, Trinity Group (File photo)

Courtenay Place in Wellington will close to traffic for New Year’s Eve after a unanimous council vote in favour.

The Wellington City Council regulatory processes committee on Wednesday heard from a group of hospitality businesses trying to close the party strip to traffic for New Year’s Eve and to close Allen St for a street party in November.

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Greig Wilson, who owns a number of bars in the area, and has previously battled the council over licensing issues, said it was time the council got behind bringing the area’s “mojo” back.

The council committee unanimously agreed. All seven of the councillors attending the meeting voted for the closures.

“As council, we need to pull every lever we can to help the businesses,” Mayor Tory Whanau said.

Bar owner Greig Wilson implored the Wellington City Council to help Courtenay Place get its ‘mojo’ back.

The closure will this year be between Cambridge Tce and Tory St but the event was aiming at being annual and extending to the length of Courtenay Place.

Bar owner Jeremy Smith, whose Courtenay Precinct group has been lobbying for the closure, previously said that food, drink and live entertainment would be on the cards.

The aim was to draw in families with an early start time, while allowing late-night revellers to have their fun after midnight when the event ended.

Smith, also from Hospitality NZ, said the plan for New Year’s Eve was to start with family-friendly events early with performers such as buskers, circus acts and drummers from midday.

People would be encouraged to eat and, if they chose, go to the waterfront celebrations. They would then hopefully return for food and drinks, DJs, and a to-be-confirmed headline act from 11.30pm to 1am. The area would have entries and exits but there would be no charge.

“We have got the tiger by the tail and we need to go hard and fast to get it all done,” he said.

Courtenay Place was last closed off after the Eminem concert in March 2019.

The street festival was part of the revival group’s plan to show Courtenay Place isn’t just a late night venue.