Gluepot Tavern, Auckland
Built on a storied site along Ponsonby Road, at the well-known Three Lamps Corner, the Gluepot Tavern became a landmark in Auckland鈥檚 social and cultural life. The building was completed in 1937, designed by architect Frederick Browne, replacing an earlier hotel that had occupied the site since the 1870s. Though officially known as the Ponsonby Club Hotel, the nickname 鈥淕luepot鈥� became the public identity over time-rumoured to stem from patrons getting 鈥渟tuck鈥� in the pub for hours.
Originally set in what was then a working-class district just at the cusp of central Auckland, the Gluepot鈥檚 location was strategic. It sat at a crossroads connecting Ponsonby, Herne Bay, and Freemans Bay, and was also served by tram lines at the time, making it a natural gathering place. The hotel gained prominence not only as a drinking establishment but as a social hub: one of its more famous patrons was Michael Joseph Savage, New Zealand鈥檚 first Labour Prime Minister, who lived nearby.
From the late 1960s onward, as licensing restrictions relaxed, the Gluepot reinvented itself as a live music venue and became integral to New Zealand鈥檚 music history. It nurtured M膩ori and Pacific audiences initially, including a long-term residency by the blind M膩ori ensemble The Radars. Over time, it expanded its musical scope: rock, indie, and alternative bands became fixtures, with legendary local and international acts performing in its moveable, energetic spaces. Though the venue closed in 1994, the building remains-and was granted a Category II heritage listing-serving as a tangible reminder of the Gluepot Tavern鈥檚 role in Auckland鈥檚 cultural memory.
Originally set in what was then a working-class district just at the cusp of central Auckland, the Gluepot鈥檚 location was strategic. It sat at a crossroads connecting Ponsonby, Herne Bay, and Freemans Bay, and was also served by tram lines at the time, making it a natural gathering place. The hotel gained prominence not only as a drinking establishment but as a social hub: one of its more famous patrons was Michael Joseph Savage, New Zealand鈥檚 first Labour Prime Minister, who lived nearby.
From the late 1960s onward, as licensing restrictions relaxed, the Gluepot reinvented itself as a live music venue and became integral to New Zealand鈥檚 music history. It nurtured M膩ori and Pacific audiences initially, including a long-term residency by the blind M膩ori ensemble The Radars. Over time, it expanded its musical scope: rock, indie, and alternative bands became fixtures, with legendary local and international acts performing in its moveable, energetic spaces. Though the venue closed in 1994, the building remains-and was granted a Category II heritage listing-serving as a tangible reminder of the Gluepot Tavern鈥檚 role in Auckland鈥檚 cultural memory.
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Gluepot Tavern on Map
Sight Name: Gluepot Tavern
Sight Location: Auckland, New Zealand (See walking tours in Auckland)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Auckland, New Zealand (See walking tours in Auckland)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
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