We have limited knowledge so far of the exact state of our buildings, but we know this much:
We are surprised how strong the old front part of the Ministry buildings have been, and in fact really pleased with how well the earthquake strengthening work that had been done over the years has performed. If people had been in Ministry when the quake hit then they would have walked out! That’s what it is all about, after all.
Damage has mainly been confined to the older front building and this has largely come from collapse of the unstrengthened Bains building next door, which has lost its entire 2nd floor, a lot of it obviously onto and through our roof. The main Ministry dance zone at the ground floor of the newer rear building appears undamaged.
Ministry is far from gone for good, and in fact this is now a great opportunity to perhaps redevelop the site around the much-loved main zone, a place for which hundreds of thousands of partygoers have fond memories of gigs dating back as far as 1992
Our glass is definitely half-full, and not half-empty!
Bruce and Tony
