Castle Street has officially become lame following the completed transformation of the former Gardens Tavern (“Gardies”) into a $3.3 million University-owned and operated student study centre. The building, located at the north end of Castle Street, was a much- loved and notorious student night spot which the University bought and closed in June 2010.
When Critic explored Castle Street on the nights of Friday 15 February and Saturday 16 February, historically infamous nights for misbehaviour as the University’s second-year Marketing cohort arrives for the year, we found it to be completely dead except for one big flat party on Friday and a few more on Saturday.
Despite their close proximity to Friday night’s only party, one Castle Street flat Critic visited had instead opted for a night of dubstep-induced sleep deprivation, the previous night having left the residents “too fucked to venture out of the house.” When asked to comment on the antics of the previous night, the flat of four described it as “so fun,” “loose as,” and “I’m about to spew.”
Despite the boring scene, Tuesday 19 February did see four non-students arrested for burning couches on Castle Street. This comes as no surprise to Critic, having spoken to a group of non-students cruising up and down the quiet street three nights earlier because they “have a car and thought [they] could come and find some trouble.”
In a further sign of this year’s student complacency, residents at Knox College have been recorded in the Otago Daily Times as being “happy” with the recent changes to their home, perhaps the only time in history residents at the hall have ever been content. Critic also points out the irony of the new Knox Master’s first name being “Selwyn”.
Student Culture Is Fucked
