Another Auckland nightlife institution has officially closed its doors, citing "tough trading conditions" and the ongoing impacts of the pandemic as its owner goes into liquidation.
Everybody's and Roxy had long been fixtures of the downtown Auckland club circuit, but on Wednesday, it was revealed both would be shutting up shop after 12 years, with their final day in business being February 20.
Everybody's, a bar and eatery, and nightclub Roxy were neighbouring venues located in the Imperial building on Fort Lane in the CBD.
Leh1 Limited, which trades under Roxy & Everybody's, went into liquidation on Friday, records show.
On November 13, 2023, an application for putting Leh1 Limited into liquidation was filed in the High Court at Auckland and was heard by the court on February 16.
The liquidator, the official assignee, was appointed on February 19.
According to company records, the sole director is Samuel Rollason Ansley.
The closure was announced in a lengthy statement to Everybody's social media, which touched on the tough conditions amid and after the pandemic.
"It is with great sadness that Everybody's & Roxy was forced to close their doors permanently yesterday (February 20)," it began.
"Although it will not be a surprise to anyone who understands how tough trading conditions have been for the hospitality world for the past four years, it was still a shock to us.
"We had been fighting so hard to make what we were doing better, despite all the headwinds, however, yesterday those winds blew us over."
The team said despite the "incredible highs", the lows have been just as frequent - particularly due to the lockdowns implemented to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021.
"While the support and the good periods of sales between the lockdowns helped, the depopulation of the city was almost fatal for us," the statement continued.
"Losing our lifeblood of office workers, function goers, tourists and visitors starved the city of its oxygen, and only the disenfranchised, gangs, and those with nowhere else to go remained.
"The barren landscape was then filled with fights and violence, pushing the younger generations to avoid the city, and the late-night trade, which was our bastion, became an anchor dragging us further into the sea."
The statement also cited damage caused by flooding, which led to the closure of its neighbour, Jefferson, as well as the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle.
"The recession then hit and a cost of living crisis in which every dollar spent was rightfully being looked at by worried customers."
The statement said many of the team are currently working without pay to help with the closure.
"We are proud of what we have done, and we have loved looking after so many of you over this last decade. So here's one final cheers from us... please keep dancing, keep socialising, and keep bringing life to this little city."
