A blessed brothel

A former Queenstown den of iniquity has been given a holy makeover by an evangelical church group.

Candy's Gentlemen's Club on Shotover St in Queenstown held the tourist town's only brothel licence and closed in December last year after the building's lease ran out. The lease was taken over by Chris and Janet Barraclough of Vineyard On the Rock, which belongs to a Christian fellowship with more than 20 churches in New Zealand and 1500 worldwide.

The website of Vineyard Churches Aotearoa NZ describes the movement as being "orthodox and evangelical in belief, while at the same time practising pentecostal power".

Janet Barraclough declined to comment.

Chloe Graf-Russell, who works at Base Backpackers across the road from the church, said the brothel's new incarnation had raised a few eyebrows. "It's really weird," she said. "When we first saw it going in we were, like, what? Then we found out it was a church, which is crazy."

Graf-Russell said the church, next door to live music venue Revolver Bar, was targeting backpackers who might want some spiritual guidance on their travels. She doubted it would have much success with Base's party-loving clientele. "I don't think they're going to do well. It's Queenstown."

Before the shift to Shotover St, Vineyard on the Rock rented a hall at St Peter's Anglican Parish along the road on Church St. "We have a very good relationship with them and I know they've been looking for the right place for a while," said the Rev Dr David Coles of St Peter's. "Candy's was vacant and I think it's great they've been able to make use of the premises."

As a man of the cloth, Rev Dr Coles doesn't have any problem with the previous incarnation of the premises. "Jesus was often criticised for associating with people who were disreputable. There's something very significant about a church moving into what was a gentlemen's club."