\u201cIf the Gypsy moves, it will no longer be the Gypsy,\u201d local and avid patron Richard Upton told the 200-strong crowd on Wednesday at the Grey Lynn Returned Services Club. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhat [Barfoot and Thompson] are doing is wrong,\u201d Upton claimed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe community wants it to stay where it is.\u201d<\/p>\n
The proposed option for Gypsy Tea Room was to set up somewhere else in the area. But the crowd was adamant the bar must remain where it is. <\/p>\n
Th\u2019 Dudes\u2019 Peter Urlich is a major supporter of Gypsy Tea Room and helped run the meeting last night. Photo \/ Corey Flemming <\/p>\n
Th\u2019 Dudes\u2019 Peter Urlich ran the PowerPoint presentation as Upton and co-owner Brett Simeti rallied the crowd. <\/p>\n
Simeti said a few words through tears, thanking the community for the huge amount of support.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is an incredible sign of a community standing together for something we love.\u201d <\/p>\n
About 3000 people had also signed a petition in support of the business. <\/p>\n
Upton asked the crowd to raise their hands if they owned a property in either Westmere or Grey Lynn, which the vast majority of the room did. Then he called on those people to keep their hands raised if they refused to use Barfoot & Thompson as their realtors. Nobody dropped their hands. <\/p>\n
\u201cTheir pockets will hurt,\u201d Upton said. <\/p>\n
Local and avid patron Richard Upton speaks to the packed Grey Lynn Returned Services Club. Photo \/ Corey Flemming <\/p>\n
Upton encouraged the crowd to email Stephen Barfoot directly with their house CV to make it clear the money the firm could miss out on. <\/p>\n
Other suggestions from the crowd included crowdfunding to buy the premises and stage physical sit-ins at other Barfoot & Thompson locations. <\/p>\n
A joke was made about Ulrich leading the charge to create a We Are the World-style track to raise money for the cause, but this was quickly rejected by the hall-of-famer with a chuckle. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhat about us? What about our customers? What about the community you serve?\u201d Upton said. <\/p>\n
The crowd booed when talk turned to rumours about what might replace their beloved bar, such as a cafe or Barfoot & Thompson office.<\/p>\n
Around 200 people packed into the Grey Lynn RSC last night to come up with an action plan to keep their beloved bar in its original home. Photo \/ Corey Flemming<\/p>\n
More boos sounded when slides were shown with listings of recent home sales from the agency, which used Gypsy Tea Room\u2019s proximity as a selling point for the multimillion-dollar Grey Lynn properties. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt is just hypocritical,\u201d Upton said. <\/p>\n
Barfoot told the Herald that after a year of engaging with the owners, going \u201cabove and beyond\u201d with communication a typical tenant could expect, the real estate agency was looking to move forward. <\/p>\n
\u201cOur position has been communicated clearly and fully, particularly with the affected tenant over an extended period of 12 months. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis includes attempts to find a workable solution that met their needs and several different potential design plans.\u201d<\/p>\n
Auckland’s iconic Gypsy Tea Room will pour its last drinks at the end of August. Photo \/ Annaleise Shortland<\/p>\n
Barfoot said he would have \u201cwelcomed\u201d the opportunity for Gypsy Tea Room to remain part of the building. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhile there are differing perspectives on those discussions, we remain comfortable that we have acted in good faith and communicated our intentions clearly.\u201d<\/p>\n
His firm worked to find a solution \u201cthat balanced our requirements as the building owner with the tenant\u2019s needs\u201d, but it was not possible for the bar to remain in the current location. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat option was declined by Gypsy Tea Room and is no longer available.\u201d<\/p>\n
Neither he nor a representative attended this week\u2019s meeting, but he said this was not a reflection of the importance they placed on community values. <\/p>\n