Doomed pub closes doors a day early

Gardens Tavern fans gather for one last night at the student pub before it closed its doors at midnight yesterday. Photo / Otago Daily Times

A notorious student pub in Dunedin has closed a day early to avoid riotous farewell celebrations at tonight's test match between the All Blacks and Wales.

Owner Pete Innes-Jones confirmed yesterday that the Gardens Tavern - known to generations of students as the Gardies - was "categorically not going to be open" today.

That meant the bar closed its doors for the last time at midnight last night.

The decision was his and was the commonsense one, Mr Innes-Jones said.

"We don't want to fuel idiocy ... and what we'd make [today] we'd lose in stress and damage. It's just not worth it. This weekend should be about the rugby."

Large crowds were expected to visit the popular student bar this weekend, to celebrate its closure following the University of Otago's purchase of it.

The New Zealand v Wales rugby test match being played at Carisbrook tonight is also expected to draw a big crowd to the area.

In anticipation, Dunedin authorities have imposed a liquor ban, visited student flats and planned a large emergency service presence in North Dunedin.

The Gardies is in the Castle St student quarter, where the arrival of the Undie 500 has sparked mass disorder in recent years.

The university has not disclosed the purchase price or what it will use the site for, but has said it will not continue running it as a bar.

Mr Innes-Jones said anyone who turned up to the pub would be turned away by security guards, and would have to "go somewhere else". He denied rumours the decision to close today was made after reaching a financial arrangement with the university.

When asked if it had approached Mr Innes-Jones about closing the bar this weekend, a university spokeswoman had no comment.

The university will take possession of the site next Friday.

Mr Innes-Jones said security guards would be stationed at the pub round the clock for the next week to protect the property from vandalism.

Dunedin police emergency group team leader Inspector Alistair Dickie said the police operation for the weekend would continue as planned even if the pub was closed.

Police are putting on free buses from North Dunedin to the central city after 9pm.

Hundreds of punters of all ages filled the Gardies bar early last night, reminiscing about "the old days".

Brothers Bruce, from Dunedin, and Ray Swift, from Christchurch, and their cousin Terry Swift, from Nelson, said they were at the Gardies on its opening night and "had to be here" for its closing night.

Not students, they were regulars through the 1970s, attracted by students "and the girls", Terry Swift said.

Some Welsh tourists, in town for the rugby, said they had read about the Gardies' last night on the internet and "thought it sounded like a good party".

Former students Joey Johns, Chris Bird and James Spence said they travelled from Auckland to celebrate the last nights of the Gardies and the last All Black game at Carisbrook.

"These were the best years of our life," Mr Johns said.

- OTAGO DAILY TIMES