Dirty Little Secret is Wellington’s original rooftop container bar, offering near-panoramic views of Courtenay Place and beyond. 

Our venue is an industrial-chic hideaway, inspired by the laneway bars of Melbourne with a range of premium and craft beers, and high-end wine and spirits on offer. 

The venue, which opened in 2015, features an eclectic décor with a contemporary/industrial mood on the rooftop. The main bar was constructed using a refurbished shipping container. 

Art is featured throughout the venue including graffitied walls created by local artists, updated every couple of years. Our venue transitions from a relaxed hangout spot to a bustling club vibe, especially on weekends with resident DJs. 

From our rooftop you can see Mt Victoria and also the waterfront at Wellington’s Bay. We are located in the Hope Gibbons Building, which we’re proud to say is a significant historic building in Wellington’s CBD. 

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 devastated. 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 at Dirty Little Secrets we’re experts at shaking a cocktail and have a range of premium and craft beers, wine and spirits on offer. Look up or you might miss us!   

We’re the perfect place for friendly catch ups, after work drinks, memorable nights out, drinks in the sun, and so much more.  

Come in soon and say hello.