Sammy's closure confirms Dunedin's dull and boring reputation

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By Lee-AnnL on Sat, 20 Mar 2010
Your Town: Dunedin
Discussing the enforced closure yesterday of Dunedin nightspot Sammy's are (from left) Cave Sessions 2010 organiser David Booth, Sammy's managing director Sam Carroll and event manager Andrew Crone.
Discussing the enforced closure yesterday of Dunedin nightspot Sammy's are (from left) Cave Sessions 2010 organiser David Booth, Sammy's managing director Sam Carroll and event manager Andrew Crone.
I have just read the article on line about Sammy's being ordered to close, the Cave Rave being cancelled as a result, and Big Ups considering moving to Auckland to find a "more welcoming city".

I couldn't agree more with the manager of Big Ups.

I have lived in Dunedin since 1996, and have found it to be one of the most enterprise and entertainment unfriendly, dull and boring cities in New Zealand.

While I have always been a fan of the quiet and relatively safe nature of the city, I am becoming increasingly frustrated with the council's blatant refusal to let Dunedin residents have any thing remotely fun in the city.

We keep getting told that this is what our citizens want, but have the council actually asked anybody what they want?

There are no shortage of stories from entertainment providers who have been readily accepted in most cities but turned away from Dunedin by 'our' council, or circus elephants being forced to stand in the carpark of a pub just to save the grass.

We put these councillors in their positions, could they not at least listen to what we would actually like them to do while they are there?

Sometimes I feel like the only way to have any fun in Dunedin, is to become a student.

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Not quite

Submitted by pukeko on Thu, 01/04/2010 - 9:14pm.

That worn cliche 'life is what you make it' is a fallacy, especially in cases like this. Life is often what other people make it, and the DCC certainly have put that control and sanction on Dunedin. Lets not forget the mentioned Regent is under threat too.
True it had fire risk issues, but they should have been given some sort of warning to get the thing up to scratch, and in the meantime take some immediate steps which would include the removal of hazardous material and inclusion of more fire extinguishers.

But back to the issue at hand - indeed there's many groups of interests that get nothing at all to get anywhere with their cause. This sudden closure of Sammys without forwarning was a sneaky way of making things easier with their plans to rezone the area as commercial. They have no cares for long-standing establishments, nor their owners that have been keeping the place entertained for decades. Just like the way the Century Theatre a couple of blocks away got bowled over.

For travellers, Dunedin is a nice place to visit. But with the way its gone over the last 2 years, it’s a lonely cold place, especially if you are eternally single, with little to do out of the ordinary to keep one occupied and absorbed as most things on offer otherwise are of a romantic flavour (lack of crowds, parks, walks, movies etc).

It's monopolised by rugby and little else other than generic swank cafes. What Dunedin calls an 'expo' is nothing on the scale to most places. It's frugal central here, but the only time the moths are let out, its over something as dull and mediocre, lacking in imagination as another stadium or a glass cube. Which just highlights again the conservative label.

Plans to move away to more sunnier, vibrant climes that cater for all interests, sans the cold conservativism, have so far failed to materialise. The only thing going for my home city was still familiar venues keeping a sense of place, but if they are going, then it’s time to move on.

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This venue was shut down

Submitted by sunny on Wed, 24/03/2010 - 9:51am.

This venue was shut down by the fire department. The council is required to act on advice of the fire department. If you're looking for some fun, why not try looking at the Regent website or similar? I've been to several shows/performances this year and am heading to another one this weekend. Life is what you make of it.

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