Couples were not the only ones left scrambling after the surprise closure of Errick’s - Otago Boys’ High School (OBHS) had to quickly arrange a new venue for its school formal with only two weeks to go.
Errick’s and DropKicks owner Rebecca Ellis confirmed to the Otago Daily Times on Tuesday the venues would close ‘‘effective immediately’’.
It came after a drunk patron passed out in a toilet stall in DropKicks, was then locked inside the venue when it closed and was later transported to hospital.
Encore Events owner Leah Stevens said she was helping to find a new venue for at least two weddings and two other events which had bookings at Errick’s.
The reaction from couples had ranged ‘‘right from absolutely pissed to absolutely just gutted’’.
‘‘It's horrible to have to be the one to tell them,’’ Mrs Stevens said.
Catering could have also been booked a few months to a year in advance.
‘‘They've paid this money, they've saved this money — all of the things that they've put in place for their day are now up in the air and changing.
‘‘You just have a few phone calls of a few tears ... that’s always hard to hear’’.
A bride-to-be, who asked not to be named, said her wedding was booked at Errick’s for December.
She had already paid a $2500 deposit to hire the venue, but considered herself ‘‘one of the luckier ones’’.
‘‘There's probably many people out there who paid in full and won't be receiving any refund.’’
If she could not find a big enough venue in time, she would have to start rescinding invitations, she said.
‘‘I've got probably a solid 80% of the wedding I need to start re-jigging.’’
OBHS had booked their school formal at Errick’s for May 23, but Dunedin Venues came to the rescue and offered the Glenroy Auditorium as a replacement.
‘‘You can imagine all the boys and girls have got their suits and their dresses and they thought they were going to have to cancel it completely,’’ commercial general manager Rachael Jenkins said.
They were working with their suppliers to ensure the school did not incur ‘‘any further financial loss’’ where possible, she said.
English teacher Gena Bagley, who had helped plan the formal, said they were ‘‘pretty devastated’’ when news of the closure hit.
Last year’s formal was also held at Errick’s.
‘‘It is really late notice, but everything has fallen into place and we are incredibly grateful.’’
Dunedin Venues was also working to support a bride and groom who had booked their wedding at Errick’s for June, who are understood to have paid for everything up front.
DropKicks was the latest live music venue to be housed in the top floor of the former Captain Cook Tavern, a stomping ground for many of Dunedin’s seminal bands.
Save Dunedin Live Music spokesman David Bennett said sudden changes like this were a huge blow to Dunedin’s music scene and tours coming through the city.
It shook the confidence of bands and promoters looking to stage events in Dunedin.
‘‘It takes a whole community to get behind these venues and make them successful and we have once again fallen short of that.’’
In North Dunedin, DropKicks had been up against a house party culture that for years had grown out of a lack of student bars and social events, Mr Bennett said.
‘‘Unfortunately, this means a maintaining of the status quo and a continuation of unregulated house parties...’’
