Last orders? The fight to save Grey Lynn institution Gypsy Tea Room
Wednesday, 10 June 2026
A community campaign in Grey Lynn to stop a locally loved pub from turning into a real estate office is gaining momentum, with an organiser promising the bar’s punters will “go out swinging”.
“Why is it so necessary, so vital, to destroy such a unique location?,” asks DJ and hall-of-fame rockstar Peter Urlich.
It was recently revealed that the Gypsy Tea Room on Richmond Rd would be closing after 20 years in business after being bought by Barfoot & Thompson.
The real estate firm has confirmed to The Post it intends to redevelop the building and take over the site as its Grey Lynn branch.
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It says it had signalled the plan for over a year and had gone “above and beyond” for its tenant.
However, Urlich has urged the company to reconsider its position.
“Why can’t they take the little site next door? It’s not like they’re starting a cafe - real estate can be done out of the back of a Porsche Cayenne.”
Urlich, who was one of the founders of Kiwi rock band Th’ Dudes, has been leading the community campaign to save the bar and is one of 3000 petitioners calling for Barfoot & Thompson to change its mind.
“Legally they can do whatever they want, but we’re saying legal isn’t everything. Just try and be part of this community.
“The goodwill is very low at the moment towards them, but that could reverse … [Otherwise] we’re going to go down swinging.’
Director of the real estate company, Stephen Barfoot, told The Post he would have welcomed an opportunity for the Gypsy Tea Room to remain in the building.
“While it is not possible for the business to remain in its current location, we offered an alternative location within the building.”
However, he added: “That option was declined by the Gypsy Tea Room and is no longer available.”
On Wednesday evening, a community meeting at the Grey Lynn Returned Services Club is expected to draw a large crowd, with organisers inviting Barfoot & Thompson to hear the community’s point of view.
Urlich said representatives of Barfoot & Thompson were yet to take up the invitation.
“So far they haven’t been conciliatory in any way. It’s very disappointing, but I don’t think they’re coming.
“Sure, it won’t be the most comfortable place for them, but we’re not going to be aggressive or anything. We just want them to sit down and hear their point of view.”
Barfoot confirmed to The Post he would not be attending.
“This is not a reflection of the importance we place on community views, but rather because our position and plans have already been communicated at length with the tenant,” he said.
“After over a year of engagement and support discussions, we feel it is appropriate to respectfully close out this process and focus on moving forward.”
Gypsy Tea Room co-owner Brett Simeti previously told Stuff he had been in negotiations to secure a spot in the redeveloped building, however it had not worked out.
'It has been very emotional, very sobering,' Simeti said.
Barfoot said he believed that as a landlord the company had “consistently gone above and beyond what any tenant could reasonably expect”.
“As we explained to the organisers of the community meeting, ultimately the tenant made the decision not to remain in the building, and we have since needed to progress our plans.”
Urlich acknowledged that the site was “great real estate”, being on the corner of Richmond Rd and Wilton St.
“But we’re imploring Barfoot & Thompson to stop and think, can we find a way around this?’
He suggested that if they were struggling to find an alternate site for their office, despite being real estate experts, perhaps “they could ask Ray White to help them out”.
He said for so many locals, the Gypsy Tea Room held special memories.
“It was 2019, I think, when I was walking toward the Gypsy and as a table-load of my mates saw me, they stood and clapped. It had just been announced that Th’ Dudes were being inaugurated into the NZ Music Hall of Fame, and I’ll never forget that moment, it gave me goosebumps.”