Cleary's was Canterbury's first
irish bar, replacing the short-lived Big Bud's Diner. Unlike the other two irish
pubs that opened at a similar time (it was a popular 90s fad), O'Neills and
Caseys, it wasn't part of chain, and maybe it was this that made it seem a
little more 'real' than the other two. Cleary's, owned by Slatters Hotel up the
road, closed down when the hotel closed in 2000.
When it reopened, it was as the Billabong,
with a new Australian theme – something quite different in the city (although
perhaps the previous attempt at an ‘Australian’ theme, Dundees, should have been
seen as a warning). Unfortunately the theming wasn't carried out very well, with
small yellow ironing boards acting as makeshift surfboards/tables and a pretty
nasty mural at the back. Thankfully, the Billabong didn't last more than three
years and had a Loft-conversion, becoming a modern gastrobar. |
