Flashy bashes return

Photo / Supplied

Glitzy corporate parties are back. Telecom held a celebrity-studded bash to celebrate rebranding earlier this month.

Marc Ellis and Monty Betham were among guests at Vector Arena, where artificial grass and a skate ramp were installed to create an indoor park.

But Telecom's Mark Watts says alcohol was "on a cash-bar basis". The company is working on Christmas party plans.

Vector Arena chief Guy Ngata says indicators for the Christmas party market are positive.

Allan Parker, owner of the Floating Pavilion in Auckland's Viaduct, reports a bookings surge - it is 80 per cent full.

"That represents a normal year for us, and a lot of people will be leaving the decision to spend later than previously."

As the credit crunch hit, companies scaled down festivities, with TelstraClear among those who cancelled altogether.

This year, the company is having parties, but keeping details secret, as is Vodafone, whose previous parties have featured strippers and an elephant.