Group wants own fan zone

A group of Dunedin bar owners hope to establish their own Octagon fan zone for Rugby World Cup matches.

The business owners planned to apply for resource consent to close the road around the lower Octagon and install marquees from September 23-25, and again from October 1-3.

The move would cater for crowds of revellers expected to hit the central city when England plays Romania in Dunedin on September 24, followed by Ireland v Italy on October 2.

The idea won support from city councillors at yesterday's full Dunedin City Council meeting, just weeks after they voted to scrap their own plans to fund an accredited Octagon fan zone.

Cr Jinty MacTavish said the move would allow the bars to expand to cater for visitors, without compromising other uses of the Octagon.

"I think it's a fairly clear case - it's about celebrating the Octagon in all of its different respects," she said.

Details of the bar owners' plans were confirmed in a report by council strategy and development general manager Sue Bidrose to yesterday's meeting.

Her report said about 30,000 spectators were expected to attend each of the city's three pool matches, and ticket sales so far indicated 59% would be visitors to the city.

About 10,000 were expected to seek food, drink and entertainment in the central city before and after each match, but licensed capacity for only 5000 in the city's venues meant problems could arise, she said.

Previously, marquees installed in the lower Octagon for rugby internationals had accommodated up to 10,000 people over a two-day period, she said.

Councillors voted to approve the plan, subject to a resource consent being granted.

 

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