WATCH the story of how a reputable bar owner is treated like a loser and taken to the edge by people using a system to assert maximum control.

Meet Greig Wilson from Epic Hospitality. The company owns Vinyl Bar, Shady Lady, Eva Beva and El Barrio.

Greig is trying to open a new bar in the beautiful Paramount Cinema, it’s taken 14 months now with another 9 months to wait.
He has never had a hearing in 14 years and now he faces a wall of appeals, endless difficulty and costs.

WCC emailed him 3 weeks ago giving him the green light then the next morning called to say OMG, we made a mistake, sorry you need to wait another 9 months.

Is this it for Courtenay Place?

It looks like between Greig and one other owner, the health officials may be sending a message to Courtenay place hospitality owners. Don’t expect to get your license’s renewed.

If this happens, against inflation, Covid and the rebuild of Courtenay Pl, it will kill most operators, if not cripple them.

How can a small cabal of Wellington officials from WCC, Health and Police assert so much pressure and pain on one operator?

UPDATE: A license has been granted and they open late Jan, but only to 2 am which looses the owner approx 100k per annum