Events and Programming
Love Not Lost is a former bar and live-music venue at 24 Allen Street, Te Aro, Wellington. It opened towards the end of 2020 and entered liquidation in March 2023. No current events, ticket sales or 2026-and-beyond programme have been found, so this page is a historical guide rather than a live booking page.
The venue’s strongest identity was electronic music, particularly drum and bass, bassline, UK garage, techno, house and related club styles. Its normal rhythm was a bar and casual dining operation during the day and early evening, followed by DJ-led events and late-night dancing, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. Contemporary descriptions also mention occasional live music and small-format performances rather than theatre, comedy or large seated concerts.
Love Not Lost became a useful room for Wellington promoters because it could accommodate both a relaxed bar crowd and a compact dance event. Local crews used it for debut nights, recurring showcases, release parties, festival after-parties and touring-act support bills. The programming ranged from emerging Wellington selectors to touring artists from Australia, the United Kingdom, Europe and elsewhere in New Zealand.
Documented 2021 events included the Omnishakti Festival pre-party, NFE Presents: Screwdriver, Third Eye Hi-Fi 001 with Codex and Paige Julia, NFE Presents: Burnzy, Millbrook from Luxembourg, Re-Oweek featuring Witters, French Flavour & Friends and Fairbrother with Emexem. Ticketed prices visible in archived listings ranged from NZ$5 for the French Flavour night to NZ$20–$22 for larger local bass events. ticketfairy.com
The surviving 2022 archive shows how frequently the venue was being used. Named listings included Rene LaVice, Full Tech, FTS Presents: Multiplayer, Ruebik, Heimanu, Deep Notion, Sippy, Hound with Inertia, Boy Records, YEN with McNilla and Ligma, Willy Mav & Cheff, Re-Oweek Send featuring Interupt, Blaine Stranger, Ruebik with Intercept, Sly Chaos with Scarfie, Skantia, Hazey with Worthy, Otosan, Brigsy with Kenzo and CSM, Cajama, Crosseyed, Levela, Paige Julia with Witters, Pirapus with CSM and Scarfie, Poris B2B Hussy with Ana Agius, KC Lights, Burnzy with Hound, Andromedik, goddard., the Sweet Mix Kids release party, a Halloween special with Blaine Stranger and Just A Gent, Suune with Scarfie, Tour de Bay Dreams, the High Tide after-party, Tweed with Doomi, Unglued, Rewind: UKG + Bassline Showcase and Need for Mirrors with Hound. ticketfairy.com
Other archived listings provide more evidence of the venue’s range. Full Tech 002 combined techno DJs with a customised lighting show; the High Tide after-party brought in festival-linked artists and a named sound system; the Cheeky release party used the room for a multi-genre 1980s, 1990s and contemporary set; and Crosseyed represented the venue’s occasional live-band or crossover booking. ticketfairy.com
The final clearly documented event found in the research is Smoke Cannon Presents: Scarfie on 17 February 2023, a 10pm–3am drum-and-bass night with Eight Oh, Kalo, Gusty and Modena. The event was advertised as a safe and inclusive night with zero tolerance for inappropriate behaviour. ticketfairy.com
Tickets and Booking
There are no current Love Not Lost tickets to buy. Historically, event promoters handled ticketing through online event pages, usually with early-bird, first-release, general-release and final-release tiers. Some events also advertised door charges or limited door availability. The venue itself did not operate like a theatre with a permanent box office or season subscription.
Archived prices show a broad range of approximately NZ$5–$45 before or including fees, depending on the event. Small local DJ nights were commonly NZ$10–$20, while larger touring acts and international bookings reached NZ$30–$45. Examples include NZ$10 for Output Sounds, NZ$15–$20 for several local showcases, NZ$20 for Scarfie, NZ$30–$35 for Otosan and NZ$39.99–$45 for Unglued and Millbrook. ticketfairy.com
Popular events often sold out at early or general-release stage. Re-Oweek, Output Sounds, several bass showcases and the two-night FTS x NFE Double Header all show sold-out releases in archived listings. The practical strategy at the time was to buy as soon as a promoter announced the event, particularly when an international act, festival after-party or limited-capacity showcase was involved. ticketfairy.com
About Love Not Lost
Love Not Lost was a compact hospitality venue rather than a conventional concert hall. Its concept combined craft beer, cocktails, casual food and late-night music. The business was associated with the makers of Hanging Ditch, and a January 2021 review described it as a new bar in Wellington’s Courtenay Quarter with a solid food menu, elaborate cocktails, large comfortable couches, a pool table and small two-person tables.
The address was 24 Allen Street, just off Courtenay Place in Te Aro. Its position placed it inside Wellington’s established nightlife district, close to bars, restaurants, theatres and late-night transport. The venue’s identity came less from formal architecture than from its intimate scale and its ability to shift between a lounge, dining room and club.
No official venue specification sheet has been found. In particular, there is no authoritative published figure for maximum capacity, floor area, room dimensions, ceiling height, stage dimensions or production loading. An archived venue guide estimated the room at roughly 70–100 people, but that figure should be treated as an informal description rather than a certified capacity. ticketfairy.com
Seating and Layout
Love Not Lost was primarily general admission. It did not have numbered theatre seats, balconies, boxes or a formal VIP section. The interior was described as being dominated by couches and casual lounge seating, with low tables, a bar area and a pool table. During club nights, furniture could be moved to create more standing and dancing space.
For conversation, food or watching the room develop, the couches and tables were the natural choice. For dancing and the fullest bass impact, the open floor near the DJ or performance position was the obvious area. Arriving early mattered for anyone wanting a couch, because seating was informal and first come, first served.
There was no fixed proscenium stage or conventional sightline plan. DJs and performers generally worked from a compact booth, raised area or corner setup. That made the audience feel close to the act but also meant that the room’s best position depended on the event layout. Loud bass events were likely to be most intense near the sound system, while the bar and outer seating areas offered a less immersive listening position.
Architecture, Design and Technical Capabilities
The available descriptions portray Love Not Lost as an intimate, eclectic bar interior rather than a heritage theatre or architecturally significant building. Its design language centred on comfort and sociability: large couches, small dining tables, a pool table, a cocktail-led bar and an atmosphere intended to feel more like a lounge than a large nightclub. No heritage designation, major architectural award or significant renovation programme has been verified.
Technical information is similarly limited. Promoters repeatedly described an in-house or venue-based low-end drum-and-bass sound system, and one event specifically advertised “full Sound System pressure”. Other listings referred to Wellington’s best in-house drum-and-bass system or a low-end club sound system. These descriptions establish the venue’s audio reputation but do not provide verified manufacturer, model, wattage, speaker or subwoofer specifications. ticketfairy.com
Lighting was usually supplied or enhanced by individual promoters. The French Flavour event advertised a large custom light show, while Full Tech 002 named High Volt Entertainment for customised lighting. This suggests that the room could support event-specific lighting packages, but no permanent fixture list, control system, rigging information or video specification has been published. ticketfairy.com
Getting There and Parking
The historic venue address was 24 Allen Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6011. Allen Street runs immediately off Courtenay Place, so the simplest walking approach was from the Courtenay Place nightlife strip rather than from the waterfront or Lambton Quay.
Metlink route information places Courtenay Place bus stops close to Allen Street, with services connecting the area to Wellington Station, Mount Victoria, Kilbirnie and suburbs across the region. Wellington Station is the principal rail and bus interchange; from there, visitors could either walk across the central city or take a short bus connection towards Courtenay Place. Exact routes and stop arrangements change, so archived event information should not be used as a current travel timetable.
No venue-specific parking arrangement or validated parking rate has been verified. Historically, visitors to the Courtenay Place area relied on metered central-city street parking, commercial car parks or taxis and rideshare services. Rates, operating hours and access rules are subject to change, and because Love Not Lost has closed, old parking information should not be treated as a current event-planning instruction. Wellington City Council distinguishes between paid and free on-street and off-street parking, but does not provide a Love Not Lost-specific facility listing.
Inside the Venue
At its peak, Love Not Lost operated as a bar and casual dining room from midday into the early hours, with music and DJ programming becoming more prominent late in the evening. Food descriptions centred on soul-food-inspired dishes and the Heartbreaker Nashville-style hot chicken burger, alongside craft beer, cocktails and wine. A contemporary review also noted a compact but creative cocktail list, including drinks named around Meat Loaf songs.
Archived venue descriptions mention a pool table, couch seating, two-top tables and a bar. No reliable information has been found confirming coat check facilities, merchandise sales, lockers, Wi-Fi, charging points, cloakroom arrangements or a particular restroom layout. Those details should therefore not be inferred from the venue’s general bar description.
Event entry rules varied by promoter. Many shows were R18, but the archive also includes an all-ages FTS x NFE event and a 14-plus Hazey and Worthy booking. Identification was important for alcohol service and age-restricted nights. Several promoters also published behaviour expectations, including removal for harassment, unsafe conduct or disrespect towards staff, artists, equipment and other guests. ticketfairy.com
Accessibility and Inclusive Facilities
No authoritative accessibility statement has been found for Love Not Lost. The available material does not confirm step-free entry, an accessible toilet, accessible seating, hearing assistance, captioning, quiet space, tactile signage, service-animal arrangements or a specific accessibility contact. Because the venue has closed, there is no current access service to verify.
Some event promoters did make inclusion and safety part of their event messaging. The Scarfie listing, for example, described the night as safe and inclusive and set out a zero-tolerance position on inappropriate behaviour. That is useful evidence about event conduct expectations, but it is not a substitute for a building-access assessment. ticketfairy.com
Nearby Amenities
Love Not Lost sat within the Courtenay Place and Te Aro hospitality district, where visitors could find restaurants, cocktail bars, pubs, hotels and late-night food within walking distance. The venue’s own location was particularly convenient for combining dinner, drinks and a music event without crossing the wider city.
Visitors historically had good reasons to arrive early: the room was small, seating was informal, and popular events could sell out or become crowded. A sensible plan was to eat before the headline set, allow time for identification checks and ticket scanning, and avoid relying on late public transport after a 3am finish. The venue’s advertised hours and event times commonly extended well beyond midnight.
What Made This Venue Special
Love Not Lost mattered because it connected Wellington’s small-bar culture with its electronic music network. It gave local promoters a central-city room for emerging DJs, specialist bass events and touring artists without requiring a large nightclub footprint. The archive shows repeated appearances by Wellington collectives and artists alongside performers from Auckland, Christchurch, Australia, the United Kingdom, Belgium and Luxembourg.
Its character was the contrast between a comfortable lounge and a serious bass venue. A visitor could arrive for cocktails or food, settle into a couch and later find the same room transformed into a compact dance floor. That flexibility helped it host low-cost local bills, branded release parties, festival after-parties and higher-profile touring shows.
There is no formal economic-impact study for Love Not Lost. The available evidence nevertheless shows direct hospitality employment, purchasing relationships with food, drink and service suppliers, and regular work for local performers and promoters. The venue’s closure formed part of a wider March 2023 insolvency affecting four Wellington bars; contemporary reporting said 16 Love Not Lost employees were seeking funds. That documents economic disruption, but not a complete measure of the venue’s wider cultural contribution.
Venue History and Closure
Love Not Lost opened near the end of 2020 in a former hospitality space on Allen Street. It was launched as a sister-style operation connected with Hanging Ditch, with a focus on cocktails, food, craft beer and a comfortable late-night setting. Its opening period coincided with the continuing uncertainty of the COVID-19 era, which affected Wellington hospitality and live events.
During 2021 and 2022, it developed a strong association with Wellington’s drum-and-bass and electronic-music circuit. Archived programming shows a steady sequence of local showcases, touring acts, themed nights and festival-linked events. The final known event listing located in this research was Scarfie on 17 February 2023.
On 9 March 2023, liquidators were appointed to Love Not Lost Limited. A contemporary report attributed the insolvency to current trading patterns and an inability to pay obligations as they fell due. No verified Love Not Lost events from 2024, 2025 or 2026 have been found, and no future programme has been announced under the name.
Visitor Tips and Information
For historical event research, treat ticket prices as examples rather than current offers. The documented range was approximately NZ$5–$45, with local nights usually at the lower end and international bookings at the higher end. Release tiers frequently sold out, so advance purchase was important for well-known touring acts.
Love Not Lost was not a seated concert hall. Expect general admission, flexible furniture and a dance-floor layout that changed by event. Couch seating was useful for socialising but was not guaranteed. Bass-heavy events were designed for high volume, and the area nearest the DJ or sound system would have been the most intense.
Age rules were event-specific. Many events were R18, but the archive also includes all-ages and 14-plus examples. Check the original promoter information for the event date rather than assuming that every booking followed the same rule.
No dress code, bag policy, photography rule, permanent accessibility specification or current venue policy has been verified. The safest historical assumptions are to bring valid identification for age-restricted events, avoid prohibited items listed by the promoter, arrive before the main act and plan your trip home before the venue’s late finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Love Not Lost Wellington still open?
No. Love Not Lost was a former venue at 24 Allen Street, Te Aro. The company entered liquidation in March 2023, and no later event programme under the name has been verified. The last clearly documented event found in the research was a Scarfie drum-and-bass night on 17 February 2023. There are no confirmed 2026 events or future bookings.
What happened to Love Not Lost?
Love Not Lost Limited entered liquidation after liquidators were appointed on 9 March 2023. Contemporary reporting said the business was insolvent because of trading conditions and an inability to pay obligations as they fell due. The venue was one of four Wellington bars affected during the same period. The publicly available reporting does not establish a separate reopening, relocation or later rebrand.
Where was Love Not Lost located?
The venue was at 24 Allen Street in Te Aro, Wellington, just off Courtenay Place. Its location placed it within the central city’s nightlife district, close to restaurants, bars, theatres and bus stops. Archived event listings consistently used the Allen Street address. Because the business has closed, the address should be treated as historical rather than as a current venue entrance.
What type of venue was Love Not Lost?
It was a late-night bar, casual dining venue and small live-music or club space. During quieter periods it functioned as a lounge with cocktails, craft beer, food, couches and a pool table. For ticketed events, furniture could be adapted into a standing dance-floor arrangement. Its programming leaned strongly towards electronic music, especially drum and bass, bassline, house and techno.
What music was played at Love Not Lost?
The most consistent style was drum and bass, supported by bassline, UK garage, techno, house, hip-hop and multi-genre DJ programming. The event archive includes local Wellington selectors, Auckland and Christchurch artists, Australian and United Kingdom touring acts, and European bookings. Occasional live or crossover shows broadened the programme, but the venue was best known for bass-led club nights.
What was the capacity of Love Not Lost?
No official capacity certificate or venue specification sheet has been located. An archived venue guide estimated approximately 70–100 people, but this was not presented as a formal authority figure. Capacity would also have varied with furniture, dance-floor arrangements, event production and licensing conditions. For a reliable historical description, it is safest to call Love Not Lost a small-capacity intimate venue.
Did Love Not Lost have assigned seating?
No. Love Not Lost was generally a standing, general-admission venue with couches, low tables, bar seating and open floor space. There were no numbered seats, theatre stalls, balconies or conventional VIP boxes documented. Guests who wanted a couch or preferred a quieter position would have benefited from arriving early, while the area near the DJ setup was intended for dancing and stronger sound impact.
Was Love Not Lost suitable for live bands?
It could host small live or crossover performances, but its documented programme was dominated by DJs and electronic events. Crosseyed is one confirmed example of a band-oriented booking. The room’s compact lounge layout and flexible floor made it better suited to intimate performances than to large touring productions requiring a full stage, extensive backline, dressing rooms or substantial production access.
What were typical Love Not Lost ticket prices?
Archived listings show prices from about NZ$5 to NZ$45, depending on the event and release tier. Small local nights could cost NZ$5–$15, established local showcases often sat around NZ$17–$22, and touring or international acts reached NZ$30–$45. Some listings included fees while others did not, so the advertised price was not always the final transaction amount.
Did Love Not Lost sell tickets at the door?
Some historical event listings referred to door charges or limited door availability, while others used advance ticket releases and sold out before the event. There was no evidence of a permanent venue box office. Entry arrangements were controlled by the promoter for each booking, so door sales, door price, ticket scanning and release limits varied from event to event.
Were Love Not Lost events always R18?
No. Many events were R18, particularly late-night music shows and events involving alcohol service. However, the archive also records an all-ages FTS x NFE Double Header and a 14-plus Hazey and Worthy event. Age restrictions were therefore event-specific. Visitors needed to check the individual event listing and bring identification when attending an age-restricted booking.
Did Love Not Lost have a sound system?
Yes, archived event descriptions repeatedly refer to an in-house or venue-based low-end drum-and-bass sound system. Promoters also advertised full sound-system pressure for specialist events. No reliable technical document confirms the brand, model, wattage, subwoofer count, acoustic treatment or permanent speaker layout, so the venue’s reputation for bass can be described more confidently than its exact equipment specification.
Did Love Not Lost have lighting or visual production?
Event promoters sometimes brought in customised lighting and visual production. Full Tech 002 named High Volt Entertainment for a customised lighting show, while a French Flavour event advertised a major light show. These references indicate that the room supported event-specific production packages. No permanent lighting inventory, rigging plan, projection specification or video-wall details have been verified.
Was Love Not Lost accessible?
No reliable published accessibility statement has been found. The available records do not confirm step-free entry, an accessible toilet, accessible seating, hearing assistance, captioning, a quiet area or other inclusive facilities. Since the venue has closed, there is no current access service to check. Historical visitors with access requirements would have needed direct confirmation from the venue or event organiser.
How did people get to Love Not Lost by public transport?
The venue was close to Courtenay Place bus stops, which connect with Wellington Station and routes serving the central city, Mount Victoria, Kilbirnie and surrounding suburbs. Wellington Station was the nearest major rail and bus interchange. Exact services and stop arrangements have changed over time, so archived route information should not be relied upon for present-day travel planning.
Was there parking at Love Not Lost?
No dedicated Love Not Lost parking facility or validated rate has been verified. Visitors historically relied on metered central-city street parking, commercial car parks, taxis or rideshare services in the wider Courtenay Place area. Parking rules and prices change frequently, and the venue’s closure means that any old parking information should be regarded as historical rather than as a current recommendation.
What food and drink did Love Not Lost offer?
The venue served cocktails, craft beer, wine and casual food. Its best-documented signature item was the Heartbreaker, a Nashville-style hot chicken burger, with other burger and soul-food options promoted in early listings. A 2021 review described inventive cocktails and a changing menu. Food service was part of the venue’s identity, not merely an add-on to the music programme.
What did visitors say about Love Not Lost?
Visitor evidence is limited, so broad conclusions should be avoided. One published review gave the venue a five-out-of-five rating and praised the staff, quiet early atmosphere and Heartbreaker burger. A local Wellington review highlighted the comfortable couches, pool table, cocktails and lounge character. The small number of surviving reviews means these comments are useful impressions rather than a statistically representative visitor survey.
Did Love Not Lost have a cultural impact on Wellington?
There is no formal cultural-impact assessment, but the event archive shows a sustained role in Wellington’s independent electronic-music ecosystem. It hosted local collectives, emerging DJs, touring bass artists, festival after-parties and low-cost community nights. Its importance was therefore practical and network-based: it gave promoters and performers a central, flexible room rather than serving as a large landmark performance institution.
