Long-time Wellington party flat shut down by council
A long-standing community venue in Wellington, known for hosting arts and music events, has been shut down by the city council due to permit violations. The building is slated for redevelopment into office and commercial space, marking the end of a significant local cultural hub.
Why it matters
The closure highlights the ongoing tension between urban redevelopment and the preservation of grassroots community and arts spaces in growing cities.
Walking into 13 Garrett Street in the Wellington CBD, you're welcomed by a wallpaper of gig posters over concrete walls, a display of the home's legacy.
But no more posters will be added, as a complaint to Wellington City Council has forced the cancellation of all events, and the tenants will be exiting to make way for redevelopment.
The home, near the Cuba Street shops, has been the place for gigs, markets, poetry readings, movie nights and more since possibly the late '90s.
The three story building is set to be turned into offices on the upper floors, and a new venue space on the bottom.
The tenants of the home who will be leaving in November - all 16 of them - say the Capital is losing a space for community.
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