Four Kings is a multi-level casual eatery, brew house and sports bar located in the heart of Wellington, New Zealand.
Known as a central hub for sports fans in Wellington, our bar offers a dynamic atmosphere to watch major sports events live and loud.
The venue spans 900 square meters over two floors, featuring over 70 plasma and LCD screens, darts, pool tables, and more, ensuring that patrons can enjoy live sports events in a vibrant and spacious environment.
Sports fans are well catered for with all major sports shown live and loud including Rugby, the EPL, Cricket, the NBA, NFL and much more.
Four Kings is located in the Hope Gibbons Building, which we’re proud to say is a significant historic building in Wellington.
The building, which has heritage “townscape” value for its prominent location at the corner of Dixon and Taranaki Street, was constructed in two parts. The first section was built in 1916 and the second in 1925-26.
Its historic value is due to its association with the family-run company Hope Gibbons Limited.
It is also significant for a sadder reason: in 1952 it was the site of a devastating fire which was central to a major reform in the storing of valuable archival material in Wellington.
Before the development of the National Archives many government records were housed in the Hope Gibbons building. On 29 July 1952 the eight-storey Hope Gibbons building office block on Dixon Street became a towering inferno after a vat of industrial thinners caught alight in a smaller rear building around 3pm.
The fire led to the devastating loss of irreplaceable government and public documents including records belonging to the Lands and Survey Department, the Marine Department, the Ministry of Works, and the Labour Department.
The building’s top storeys were damaged. They housed records from government departments including immigration, labour, broadcasting, Maori affairs, public works, agriculture and the geographical survey.
A treasure trove of government archives – then stored erratically around the city – had been destroyed.
The disaster led to the Archives Act being in 1957, and soon followed the creation of a national archive to safeguard the country’s records.
So who was the man the building was named for, Hope Gibbons?
A Wellington City Council Heritage Survey tells us Hope Gibbons was the name given to members of the second and third generations of the Gibbons family, a successful merchant family.
“Hopeful Gibbons (senior) was one of 12 offspring of Robert and Sarah Gibbons who arrived in New Zealand in 1861,” it notes. “He was educated in Nelson but left at the age of 16. He first reached prominence when he established the Patea Brewery. He later bought the Wanganui Brewery and went on to become a prosperous businessman, politician and local identity but, with the exception of some overseas trips, remained based in Wanganui.”
The Survey tells us that his eldest son Hopeful Barnes Gibbons (1882-1955) was in charge of the firm’s expansion to Wellington in 1910.
“The firm had bought a stake in the business of J.B. Clarkson. In 1916, under this moniker, the first building was erected in Inglewood Place. Designed by architect Joseph Dawson, who had a close professional relationship with the family, the building was intended to be one part of a larger complex.”
The Survey notes the building was immediately requisitioned for the war effort but later handed back.
“In 1918 the Colonial Motor Company was acquired, leading to an involvement with the motor industry that continues to this day.”
In 1920 the firm was renamed Hope Gibbons Ltd. The building was improved and completed in 1926. It was Wellington’s tallest for several decades.
Today Four Kings is proud of its historic location and excited about its present and future.
We welcome you with food and drink specials, massive TVs and plenty of entertainment like pool tables and dartboards, Four Kings is the undisputed King of Sports Bars in Wellington! Watch from the comfort of a VIP booth or book your own lazyboy.
Come in and visit us soon.
