Birthday boy's after ball party cancelled

Tom James. Photo / Sarah Ivey

An 18th birthday celebration which was meant to be held after Auckland Grammar's ball this weekend has been cancelled by the venue following intervention by police and the school.

Party organiser Tom James, who is not a Grammar student, had hired The Basement in lower Greys Ave to celebrate his birthday on Saturday night. He sold nearly 250 $45 tickets, around half of which went to those going to Grammar's ball earlier in the evening.

However, the function was cancelled yesterday following a call from the venue's manager, Charlie McDermott, who had discussed concerns about it with police. Mr McDermott said the decision was made after learning neither the school nor the police supported the party and concerns about the real reason it was being held.

"He [Mr James] had billed it as an 18th but when I talked to Auckland Grammar and the police it wasn't.

"We haven't been bullied into backing down, it's a compromise. We really try to work with the police, the council and want to work with schools ... We can't take the risk of it getting out of control, that's not what we are about."

Mr McDermott said the venue didn't want to risk losing its licence or the ability to host other events if an underage student was caught with alcohol or things went wrong.

However, Mr James is frustrated with the decision, saying the function is a birthday party - he turns 18 on Saturday - and he believes it was cancelled only because Grammar intervened over fears it was an afterball in disguise.

He said Grammar's senior management warned him that if he didn't call off the party the ball would be cancelled. He also says students were intimidated into not attending.

"I've had half the students pull out of it saying 'no we don't want to go because the headmaster has said we are going to be punished'."

Grammar headmaster John Morris said students were spoken to this week about the ball but no one was threatened or intimidated. They were simply reminded that afterballs were not allowed. He stressed the party had nothing to do with Grammar. He had, however, contacted the venue to voice concerns about underage students attending a function in a licensed venue.

Police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said venue management contacted the police liquor licensing team early this week following concerns about the booking.

"The event was booked some weeks ago and described to the management as a birthday party," she said. "Venue managers contacted police after being advised by a third party that the event was in fact to be an afterball party."

Ms Hegarty said police spoke to Mr McDermott yesterday and explained his temporary authority licence would not allow for the sale of liquor and that the building consent only allowed for 176 people - not the 250 guests attending. As a result, Mr McDermott decided to cancel the party.

PARTY PLAN

* Saturday night event was billed as an 18th birthday celebration.
* Party was to be held after Auckland Grammar ball.
* About half the 250 tickets to the event were sold to Grammar ball attendees.
* Party organiser says students were intimidated into not going.