Complaints from neighbours prompted the closure of a clandestine brothel operating from an inner-city Wellington apartment - but only because it breached "work-from-home" rules. Up to 20 prostitutes worked around the clock from the brothel in an apartment on The Terrace. After neighbours complained to Wellington City Council about strange sounds, and clients knocking on the wrong doors, the council shut it down.
However, the 1 Night Stands escort agency - whose website boasts of being located "in the central city amongst a very discreet residential area" - has merely moved down the street. The closure was ordered in November despite Wellington having no bylaws restricting the operation of brothels out of residential properties.
But any business operating from a residential property must have no more than three people working from the building at any time, and at least one of them must live there. The business breached both those conditions, council spokesman Richard MacLean said. It also breached rules about the amount of floorspace - no more than a third - that can be used for business activities, and may have breached retailing rules.
It was believed to be the first time the council had taken such action against a brothel, he said. The council became aware of its existence after receiving "repeated complaints from other parties, mainly related to noise and disruption".
The apartment was leased and the overseas-based owner did not know how it was being used. The 1 Night Stand website says the service operates "7 days from 10am to midnight" and "off-street parking is available at any time".
