I have just learnt that the Courtenay Arms which has been closed for renovations will reopen as a kiwi theme pub. What absolutely dire news. Not only does that mean that I lose my quiet pint with a paper each Monday as I wait for Sarah to finish work but it also means the Wellington loses its only venue serving Fullers London Pride, Porter and ESB on a regular basis. And why the hell do we need a Kiwi Theme pub!!? Why do pubs have to be themed at all?. Yeah the Courtenay Arms needed some work, the one armed bandits needed to go and the junk at the back next to the couch needed cleaning up, a few beers from NZ micros wouldn’t have gone amiss, but a kiwi theme pub!!!? Grrrrr!!.
Salvador
2 hours ago
9 comments:
I'm as disappointed as you are, but as I just asked on the SOBA list, how would you fix it, given that the place needs to make money?
What I don't get is what makes them think anyone is more likely to visit YET ANOTHER kiwi theme pub.
yep i'm a bit gutted about it too. i liked that i could get an actual pint, and as you say kieran, a few english imports. i remember about 3 years ago going in there and they had some youngs special london ale and i was stoked because for some reason it was priced cheaper than a monteiths pint. weird. anyway, i wasn't complaining and proceeded to put away 4 pints in short order. i didn't actually know this beer at the time and it was only when i found myself a bit unsteady on the way to the loo that i bothered to look at the pump clip and saw that it was 6%....and it was tasting great too.
but then i went there after the BrewNZ event in September 08, figuring that it might be not quite as packed as the Malthouse, but still busy enough to make an atmosphere, and the place was deserted. on a friday night (albeit possibly the most horrible friday night of the year)! so obviously something wasn't pulling in the punters.
like everyone else though, i'm not sure the solutions lie in the direction we have seemingly heard it is headed in.
Funny thing about all of this is that I've always thought that a good (I mean a REALLY GOOD) British-style pub would go down a treat in Wellington. I even dreamed about opening it across the road from Courtenay Arms because I thought the place was a dive.
That opportunity still exists. Good kiwi beer, a few imports, maybe a cask or three... good food, just a small menu. Pleasant, effecient staff. It'd make a killing if you weren't killed off by the fat cat (no pun intended) "landowners" that have had to pump rent to exhorbitant prices because their properties a 30% over-priced.
I absolutely agree Stu that Welly needs such an establishment. I'm not trying to say the Courtenay Arms was perfect. In many ways it was a model of a down town Wetherspoons type establishment.
It was however not as bad as many people make out, and I for one will miss it. I will be drinking Macs Hoprocker at the Craftsman with my paper now I suspect.
My kingdom for a Galbraiths in every central city in New Zealand.
or a twisted hop!
or both
I lean towards Galbraith's beer but The Twisted Hop as a venue. Though The Twisted Hop beers are great and the seasonals are always amazing, and I do like sitting in Galbraith's.
I think i'm going to make up my mind this time, was in Galbraiths not long ago and B&T was tasting fantastic....Twisted hop this weekend!
It's a strange kind of animal that drinks in a theme pub!
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