Bellamy's (or Bellamys) is the name given to the in-house catering service and dining facilities of the New Zealand Parliament. Named after an earlier British parliamentary institution, Bellamy's has been in existence since the establishment of the New Zealand Parliament in the 1850s. Originally the service was used exclusively by members of Parliament (MPs) and their guests, but it now includes a restaurant open to the public. Bellamy's has been based in the Beehive since the summer of 1975–76.[1]
History
editJohn Bellamy was the deputy housekeeper of the British House of Commons who, in 1773, set up a small dining room for MPs. The original dining service expanded to include several lobbies for exclusive use of MPs. The British Bellamy's was destroyed in the burning of Parliament in 1834. The name Bellamy's was later adopted by New Zealand's colonial parliament for its refreshment facility.[2][3] New Zealand's earliest Bellamy's in 1854 was a lean-to attached to the rear of the General Assembly House, Auckland.[4]
In 1854 the first Bill passed by the New Zealand Parliament was the Licensing Amendment Act (informally called the "Bellamy's Bill") that permitted the sale of alcohol on the premises of Parliament.[5][6] Bellamy's was modelled as a premier dining facility: silver plate, crockery and table linen were shipped from Britain.[6]
With the relocation of Parliament, Bellamy's moved to Wellington in 1865.[1][7] In 1907 a fire destroyed the parliament buildings, including Bellamy's dining hall.[8] Bellamy's was then based in Government House to the south of Parliament House until its demolition for the construction of the Beehive in the 1970s.[9]
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 Bellamy's menu—via Te Ara. "[A] menu from Bellamy's restaurant for 8 September 1955 shows that the fare on offer was mostly plain, with the occasional flourish such as 'Consomme Macedoine' and 'Dominion Trifle au Sherry'."[10] |
Bellamy's dining hall served as the main social gathering place for MPs and their guests.[6] It was originally closed to women; the "No Women Permitted" sign over the dining hall was taken down in 1933 when the first female MP, Elizabeth McCombs, was elected.[11] In the 1990s, the catering service was opened to all parliamentary staff as well as MPs. Since 2018[update], a restaurant called Bellamy's by Logan Brown is located in the Beehive, with table reservations now available to all members of the public.[12][13] Due to accommodation difficulties, it was relocated from the third to the first floor in 2024; the cost of $7 million for the relocation was criticised by Opposition leader Chris Hipkins.[14]
Other facilities
editIn addition to Bellamy's, Parliament has Copperfield's Cafe and a bar in a former storage space on the first floor called "Pint of Order" (alluding to a point of order). The latter replaced Pickwicks on the third floor, which was removed to create more space for ministerial offices.[15] Unlike Bellamy's, the public is not allowed to visit Pint of Order.[16]
See also
editReferences
edit- 1 2 "History of Parliament's buildings and grounds". www.parliament.nz. New Zealand Parliament. 28 March 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
- ↑ "The House of Commons Refreshment Department" (PDF). www.parliament.uk. House of Commons Information Service. October 2010. p. 2. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
- ↑ "About". Bellamys by Logan Brown. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
- ↑ Timespanner (27 October 2008). "For the comfort of members – New Zealand's Bellamy's". Timespanner. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
- ↑ Ronowicz, Eddie; Yallop, Colin (2007). English: One Language, Different Cultures. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 207. ISBN 978-1-4411-6464-3.
- ↑ "Wellington, August 28, 1865". Wanganui Chronicle. 2 September 1865.
There were plenty of Auckland men about the building to have carried this and thus shelved the matter for a time, but whether they found the good things provided for them at Bellamy's too seductive for them to quit, or whether in pursuit of a settled plan, of reticence, they only reached the lobby in time to have the door shut in their faces, and the motion for adjournment was lost by thirteen to eight.
- ↑ "Parliamentary library escapes fire". nzhistory.govt.nz. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
- ↑ "History of buildings & grounds". www.parliament.nz. New Zealand Parliament. 16 July 2006. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
- ↑ Martin, John E. (1 February 2015). "Bellamy's menu – Parliament". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
- ↑ "Women MPs – Parliament's people". nzhistory.govt.nz. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- ↑ "Visit Bellamys for a unique, delicious dining experience!". www.parliament.nz. New Zealand Parliament. 26 April 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
- ↑ "GO NZ: A weekend in Wellington - history, politics and craft beer". The New Zealand Herald. 21 September 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
- ↑ Sherman, Maiki (27 August 2024). "'Totally mad': Up to $7m to be spent on new ministerial offices". 1News. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- ↑ Malpass, Luke (3 June 2025). "Parliament's new bar - Pint of Order - opens its doors". The Post. Retrieved 18 January 2026.
- ↑ Gower, Paddy (4 June 2025). "Paddy Gower: Taxpayer-funded pub at Parliament is a perk our politicians don't need". Stuff. Retrieved 18 January 2026.