Rustle up for Western curios

Darryl Penrose of Thompson Bagley Auctions will put the curious contents of Shotgun Betty's Bar and Grill under the hammer this weekend. Photo / Michael Cunningham

If you're in the market for stuffed bison heads, cow hides, saddle stools, pole dancing poles, three buckets of condoms and more Clint Eastwood memorabilia than you can shake a stetson at, you'll find them when the bizarre contents of a Whangarei bar go under the hammer.

With Shotgun Betty's Bar and Grill now under receivership with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Thompson Bagley Auctions has been instructed to sell a host of Wild West paraphernalia and the whole kit and caboodle of the Tex-Mex venue on Vine St.

It will be standing room only, with no space for a spit bucket, when the auction kicks off at 10am on Sunday.

A hog-killin' time is sure to be had, according to co-owner of the Port Rd auctioneers, Darryl Penrose, who said buyers were expected from Auckland and beyond as the contents included a huge range of Western-themed art and collectibles.

Lassoes, cowboy boots and US flags still adorn the walls of the bar, while cow hides droop from the ceiling. Three ice-buckets of unused condoms - from the men's room vending machine - are placed on one of the tables, ready for auction too.

By hook or crook, all 400 lots of items must sell - including the two pole dancing poles still mounted in the dance floor where, no doubt, many a young maiden shimmied up over the two-year lifespan of the Shotgun Betty's nightspot. Lighting, sound equipment and all electrical items from the bar and kitchen were up for grabs, with the museum of Western curios.

"There are lots of retro items for sale too and the auction would be ideal for anyone in catering, or someone looking to fit out a bar or cafe," said Mr Penrose. "There's even a blow up ring with gigantic boxing gloves."

He was unable to put a final price tag on the thousands of items that buyers could snap up, but said photos of the pieces, which took him about 120 hours to catalogue, were uploaded to his company website. The venue's former owner, Trevor James, told the Advocate earlier this month that tougher drink-driving laws and youth unemployment were the reasons behind the closure of the venue at the beginning of November.