The women's bathroom at Leo Malloy's new bar at Auckland Viaduct has a major design flaw with the window allowing people to see those using the cubicles.
The women's bathroom at Leo Malloy's new bar at Auckland Viaduct has a major design flaw with the window allowing people to see those using the cubicles.
They were supposed to create a “loo with a view” but the women’s toilets at Leo Molloy’s new HeadQuarters Bar have given those below at the viaduct an eye-full.
The former mayoral candidate’s new hospitality spot on Auckland’s waterfront has pane-glass women’s toilets on the first floor, lighting up at night to give those walking past direct vision into each cubicle.
In a clip posted on TikTok women can be seen from the waist up using the toilet - one possibly wearing a jumpsuit appears naked.
The footage taken from outside the former O’Hagans pub at Auckland’s Viaduct sparked outrage on the social media platform.
“This is gross. They need to frost those windows ASAP!!!” one said.
“I noticed this on Friday night! It’s ridiculous,” said another.
The six windows of the women's toilets at the new HQ Bar in Auckland's Viaduct have a view for patrons and those on the street.
Another pointed out that care must be taken when choosing an appropriate outfit when frequenting the bar: “Oh! Reminder not to wear a jumpsuit there then.”
Some commenting believed the clear glass in the windows was a simple design fault - others were sure it was intentional.
“I’m pretty sure that’s illegal!! Building codes and Consumer Privacy acts etc... if they don’t fix it will be the Shut down HQ.”
When contacted by the NZ Herald, hospitality giant and former Auckland mayoral candidate Leo Molloy said the clear glass was a design fault and was being fixed today.
When the bar traded as O’Hagans the glass was frosted but Molloy said they were recently replaced.
“We were going to have Panama shutters so people could choose to have a view or not but we are having them fixed today.
“It was deemed a good idea at the time to have a loo with a view but based on the negative feedback we will frost them out.”
Molloy said the bar had been open four days and no one had complained to him about the see-through loos.
“No one complained but I went down there at 2.30pm and checked and clearly you can see shoulders and faces so we are remedying it.”
A quick scan of the Building Code rules: “There shall be no direct line of sight between an access route or accessible route and a WC, urinal, bath, shower or bidet.”
The new HeadQuarters bar opened on Friday night on the site of well-known Irish pub O’Hagans on Customs St West.
Molloy’s original HQ bar was a pop-up and Molloy said he was reluctant to spend money on it.
