Auckland's gay bar czar Wayne Clark has again expanded his empire, taking control of the three-level Crest Hotel at 243 Karangahape Road, which he says is now open as a gay-friendly drinking spot with themed nights planned.
First named The Naval & Family Hotel when the building was completed in 1897, the ground floor level is now a recently refurbished pub-style space, with flat TV screens on the walls, Red Bull-sponsored bar stools and couches, and some seating outside. Upstairs is a classy club space, with seven hotel rooms on the third floor above.
Clark says popular twice-weekly lesbian clubbing event Flirt will relocate from its current venue at Bacio to Crest's upstairs bar from Saturday 15 March, and a themed regular Friday night event starring drag diva Tess Tickle is also planned to begin next month.
Directly over K' Road, gay nightclub Family and mixed dance venue Supermarket, both also owned by Clark, will stay open and operating, he says. "They'll stay as they are, but I'm going to continue refurbishing the interior of Family in coming months."
A party for the official opening of Crest as a gay-friendly destination is being planned for early March.