PICTURES PLEASE

This is the silliest story we have seen for ages... Two women, one purdy dress, one bad ass bloke and a bit of booze and lots of lawyers.

Result - fisty cuffs blood and tears.

However everyone in Wellington wants only one thing - to see the dress on both bints.

Let the people decide.

WELLINGTON FOODY GOSSIP.

Today the rugby prawn and I had a nice business lunch at St Johns Bar and Restaurant . Turbot is a special favourite fish of mine and I was delighted it was on the menu. It was the best fish I have had in ages. Settled on a heady garlic mash, and dressed with a lovely julienne carrot salad the fish was cooked to perfection. I will be going back for more. He was a bit more reticent about his Sirloin Steak - declaring it a tad too tough. We drank a lovely bottle of of Arcadia bubbles from Central Otago. Its light and girly - like Pol Roger without the citrusy zing and length.
As for food gossip - It is time one of the Wellington main stream media did a story on who owns what in the Wellington hospitality scene. We hear that while the Trinity Group remain one the main players in bar management , many of their previous bars are now owned by a big Aussie company.
And the word is that DB has so much money buried in the basement of the failed Temperance Bar complex that some of the company wags have suggested that it be turned into the Brewery giants offices. And everyone is watching anxiously to see who will close next. Times are pretty tough we are told.

And anyone walking down the west side of lower Willis St can't fail to notice that it has become a shopping ghetto. While the fashionistas dominate the east side, the West Side looks like it has been bombed. It was busy enough prior to Xmas but all with shops on short term, sell shit quick, leases. Now we counted at least 6 empty shops in a row. It is hoped the area will be developed.

WELLINGTON BIGGEST BAR GOES BROKE AND OTHER RESTAURANT GOSS

We have it on good authority that DB stepped in and dealt a death blow to what was arguably Wellingtons biggest Bar - the Temperance complex. this morning. It was viewed as an ambitious complex by Wellingtons hospitality industry. It's fit out was estimated to be around $3 mil. DB and the Wellington Rugby Union were significant investors. Everyone is asking what Wellington Rugby is up for after the bars and restaurants failed to make good. Sad really - it would have been good to see it take off but we understand that fit out, cost overruns and very high rents meant it was an intemperate investment from day one.

Bizarrely the goss round town is that Steve of Tony's Tire service (TTS)is the mystery buyer of Dockside.
Industry sources reckon he will be about 2- 3 mil out of pocket. What sort of changes will will see?
Since Justine,the goddess of good service left Dockside it hasnt been the same. It is hoped thart Steve,of TTS, who prides himself on service, will change the values of one of our favorite haunts.