When a Whangarei craft house named The Bach discovered a brothel by the same name had opened less than a kilometre away some "very upset" members worried there could be confusion. But the owner of the brothel says that should not be an issue because the services offered by the two businesses were "completely different".
We wouldn't care if it was something compatible," she said. Ms Carthew said she had gone to solicitors and the Whangarei District Council to see what could be done. But while differences between the two businesses concern Ms Carthew and the members, Antonia Murphy, owner and brothel madam, said because of this there should be no confusion.
She did take into consideration the fact there was a gallery called The Bach and also a beauty therapy business in Whangarei with the same name. Also, we are not the only town business by the name The Bach - there is a beauty therapy firm also. You could not shut down a business using the name koru, or jandal, or tui. These are all words that are very Kiwi," she said. When Ms Carthew was asked why there was no concern when The Bach Beauty Therapy in Whangarei Heads opened she said: "It wasn't as close, it wasn't directly in the same location, it clearly is in Whangarei Heads and we feel [the brothel] is too close.
But to have a sex industry calling itself the same name as our gallery, in such close proximity, it's totally wrong. Ms Murphy said she put a heavy investment in the branding and would not be changing the name. I chose the name a long time before that. What I chose to project with my business was a happy, relaxed place where people feel good. That's also a part of Northland culture and beach culture and the bach culture and I thought it fitted in with our local clientele.
New Zealand Herald. Subscribe to Premium. Sign In Register. On the go and no time to finish that story right now? Your News is the place for you to save content to read later from any device. Register with us and content you save will appear here so you can access them to read later.
