“Dead” dance floors, expensive transport and a lack of venue choices.

That’s how some young adults describe Tauranga city centre’s nightlife.

They shared their views with the Bay of Plenty Times as the city imposed new rules to shut down clubs and bars in downtown Tauranga at 2am, an hour earlier than the previous 3am closing time, to reduce alcohol-related harm.

Some university students say they and their peers enjoy Mount Maunganui’s nightlife for the first part of the night then, when the bars close at 1am, they go to Tauranga until its 3am closing time. A closing time of 2am means many will choose to skip Tauranga, they tell the Bay of Plenty Times.

Tauranga City Council regulatory and compliance general manager Sarah Omundsen says while many people consume alcohol responsibly, harm caused by excessive or inappropriate alcohol consumption can have serious negative impacts on communities.

Council regulatory and compliance general manager Sarah Omundsen. Photo / Alex Cairns.

The current one-way door system, which means no new patrons can enter a premises after 2am, has also been removed as it's no longer needed.

Council city development and partnerships general manager Gareth Wallis says the council is working hard to transform the city into a place where people of all ages can meet and spend time together.

“Over $1.5 billion worth of private and public investment will be committed over the next few years and the transformation of our city centre is progressing at pace,” says Gareth.

A spokesperson for the University of Waikato, which opened its Tauranga campus in 2019, says the university is working with the council to play an active part in efforts to revitalise the city centre.

What it’s like to party in Tauranga

A student who moved from Whitianga to study at the University of Waikato’s Tauranga campus and live in the Halls of Residence says no one wants to go out with expensive transport and “pubs full of old people”.

With the student budget not covering much more than the Uber rides, 19-year-old Jenna Durran-Wolff says it's common for people to drink so much before they head into town that they are “vomiting” before they left and “barely able to get in”.

Jenna says she doesn't go to Tauranga when the Mount Maunganui bars close and she expects others will follow suit.

“Because it closes at 1am in the Mount, a lot of people go to Havana [in Tauranga] to finish the night so I think they will lose a lot of business because people won’t be bothered going there anymore.” 

Fellow student Sophie Ruddell was a regular at nightclubs last year but says she stopped going when some bars increased their door charges.

Sophie says with only a handful of popular clubs, some of which barred students under 20 years old, options are limited.

She says the dance floors at local clubs are often “dead” on Friday nights.

“It’s just not worth it for what you’re getting,” she says.

Veren Villegas, a Tauranga local, says clubbing in his hometown is “honestly pretty dead” and he rarely goes out, saving his nights out for when he's in Auckland with friends.

“It’s also really hard given Tauranga’s layout because everything is far away from each other so it’s hard to get from one place to another,” says Veren.

Franz Grutzmacher and his friends only go clubbing when they have a sober driver to give them rides between places because Uber prices are, in his view, “unattractive”.

The Pyes Pa resident says he will usually spend about $100 on a night out – roughly $60 on transport and $40 on drinks.

Franz Grutzmacher, a University of Waikato student, graduated with a Bachelor of Business last year in Tauranga. Photo / Alex Cairns.

“If you were living close by or in the halls then it would be fine because it’s walking distance but I feel like most young people still live with their parents and that’s usually in the more suburban areas,” says Franz.

“The energy in Auckland is so much better because there’s a lot more going on and more people around you doing the same thing you’re doing.”

Roseline Thetty lives in the university’s Halls of Residence and while she's happy to have chosen Tauranga for her course, she feels like she misses out on the “student life”.

In her opinion, the bars and clubs lack an “identity” as they play music that appeals to a range of ages.

Roseline Thetty, University of Waikato student. Photo / Alex Cairns.

As a fourth-year student, she doesn't go clubbing as often as when she started university and says she goes solely to the CBD clubs now because they are within walking distance.

While going before midnight means a more affordable entry fee, she says there's “nothing really happening” before the rush of people came from the Mount.

“I don’t know if it’s the best idea to close it so early.”

A Havana spokesperson says the club will “definitely see trade going” from the earlier closing time.

Miss Gee’s Bar & Eatery, Cornerstone Bar & Eatery and Uber have been approached for comment.

-Bay of Plenty Times.