Bar 101 reopens less than three weeks after final call

The student favourite has a new home just across the road. Photo credit: Bar 101

After an extremely brief hiatus from serving the cheapest vodka cruisers in Hamilton, Bar 101 has announced it will reopen this weekend - in a premises just across the road from its previous establishment.

Less than three weeks after its final call, the popular student bar has announced on its Facebook page that Bar 101 will be back in business from Friday night.

"We know it's one of the worst kept secrets, but after 1500 people turned up to our epic closing party, we felt we had to keep 101 alive," the post said.

"Come find us in our new location in Victoria Street this Friday and Saturday, we've still got the best priced cruisers and exports in town."

The decision was made to shut down Bar 101 after developers working with the Hamilton City Council bought the building to build a theatre and a hotel.

The premises had been run down after operating as a favourite among young people studying in the city for 10 years.

Shortly after the announcement was posted, Bar 101's owner John Lawrenson told Newshub he felt reopening was the right thing to do after an overwhelming attendance at the closing party.

"With the new theatre coming, we were always going to have to move out of that site - but we weren't sure about reopening somewhere else," he said.

"However with the huge turnout for the closing party and the outpouring from fans of the bar, it seemed like we had to bring it back."

The Lawrenson Group had a site right across the road, previously called Hood, and they were trying to lease it to potential restaurant operators.

"We've decided to rebrand it and reopen it as Bar 101 instead."

He explained part of their consideration was also about making sure people still have options in town.

An event page made for the final bash stated homage will to be paid to the early days, with cheap drinks every night of the week.

Now, the bar is set to keep the beverages flowing just metres from the old site.

Social media users remarked below the Bar 101 update that they had seen the relaunch coming from a long way, with some labelling the move a money-making ploy.

One young woman shared: "hahahahahaha was just a money making scheme".

"What a good marketing scam, the old closing down one," a young man wrote.

Many others tagged their friends, adding derivatives of: "I told you".

Newshub.

Contact Newshub with your story tips:
news@newshub.co.nz