Bar Crawl

SOL Square, Christchurch. July 2008. Ajr

On a cold stormy night when any sensible person would have been tucked up at home beside a cosy fire, I chose to go out and prowl around bars – in a strictly professional manner of course. I joined a group of Australasian media and conference organisers, in Christchurch for NZ Meetings 2008, on a tour of Sol Square. It was pelting down with rain but Sol’s night lights were twinkling regardless as we did the rounds of Fat Eddies, The Fish and Chip Shop, Ishimoto, Yellowcross, La Petite Croix, Cleaners Only and The Culture Club – a fabulous bunch of unique bars that have colonised the historic buildings and lanes that make up SOL (South of Lichfield). There are ten very different restaurants and bars in close proximity here – everything from a Japanese Yakitori and Sake bar through to live jazz, a nostalgic reinvention of the iconic Kiwi fish and chip shop, live bands, a gorgeous romantic champagne bar and a dark, moody little retreat tucked into what was, literally, an old cleaning cupboard, albeit a rather large one. A pity about the weather but that’s winter for you! www.sol.net.nz.