UPDATED 6PM - A New Year's price hike on the entry fee at Cruz bar in Christchurch has left some gay patrons feeling exploited by their own community. "Patrons spluttered in disbelief on being asked to cough up a $10 door charge," says GayNZ.com reader Ross Marwick. “You could have been forgiven for thinking that maybe those few pre-town drinks you had downed had transported you to some overseas gay mecca, but no, it was still the garden city and a grey night on Lichfield St at that.” Marwick says the bar's standard cover charge is only $3, but had trebled for New Year's. "We all know that because of recent changes to pay rates that we may have to pay a 'surcharge' to be able to go out and enjoy ourselves during holiday times,” he says. "However there is a difference between a surcharge and and being ripped off just because its New Years Eve." Cruz bar manager Bruce Williamson disagrees that patrons didn't get value for money, although all drinks did carry a 50 cent surcharge over the Christmas/New Year period. “All members with Cruz cards entered for free, however, Mr Marwick had repeatedly refused personal invitations from myself to apply for one of these cards (also FREE),” he says. “On New Year's Day, in fact, Doreen Manganini was flown in from Sydney for just one show, and the cover was $5.” Cruz is certainly not alone in increasing its entry prices for New Year's. Pound in Wellington and Flesh in Auckland also had $10 cover charges. All three venues featured entertainment and floorshows not normally found on regular nights.
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Tuesday, 4th January 2005 - 12:00pm