Students' pub dream down the drain

A plan by three Dunedin flatmates to try and save a popular but struggling student drinking hole has been thwarted by Otago University.

Flatmates Blake Luff, Nathan Parker and Tom McKnight devised a plan to save The Gardens Tavern, or Gardies, in Castle Street after learning the bar was for sale.

The trio believed that if they could convince 200 fellow students to invest $2500 each, high profile former student and now television personality Marc Ellis could raise a loan for the rest of the cost of the bar, valued at $1.025 million.

A board of directors would then be appointed to start making the pub profitable.

But the students learned today Otago University had bought the building and had no intention of running it as a pub, 3News reported.

Gardies patrons were today disappointed to learn of the university's move.

"Had a lot of great times here so it will be sad to see it go, sort of an end of an era down here," Mr McKnight said.

Otago University last year bought anogther historical Dunedin pub The Bowler and turned it into lecture theatres.

It is not yet known what the university plans to do with its latest acquisition.

- NZPA