Formed in 1887, the Petone Working Men's Club — known around town simply as the Petone Club — has been part of Lower Hutt community life for well over a century. A multi award winning venue, it describes itself as a main focal point within the community, priding itself on a welcoming, friendly atmosphere, competitive prices and excellent service, all in a safe and family friendly environment where there is something for everyone.
Food and drink sit at the centre of the club experience. The Campbell Terrace Bistro serves more than 30 menu items — juicy steaks, classic burgers, fresh seafood, warming curries and tasty wraps — across breakfast, lunch and dinner at member prices. In the Member's Lounge, the heart of the club, the bar pours over 17 beers on tap alongside bottled and canned beers, white, red and sparkling wines, RTDs and a premium top-shelf spirits lineup, with fizzy drinks, ginger beer and juices for those not drinking.
Beyond the bar the club is packed with things to do: six pool tables, an upstairs snooker room with eight full-sized tables, dart boards in the lounge and Games Room, TAB facilities, 30 gaming machines and a private library the club bills as one of New Zealand's best and largest. Raffles run Wednesday through Saturday, live entertainment features regularly, a kid's area keeps younger visitors busy, and three function rooms host everything from boardroom meetings for 20 to cocktail parties for 200. The Lower Hutt Memorial RSA has operated as a section within the club since March 2010, reinforcing the sense of tradition and family values the club is known for.
Formed in 1887, the Petone Working Men's Club is one of the Hutt Valley's enduring institutions. Nearly a century and a half on, the club — known around town simply as the Petone Club — is a multi award winning venue that describes itself as a main focal point within the community. Its pitch is simple: a welcoming, friendly atmosphere, competitive prices and excellent service, all wrapped in a safe, family friendly environment.
That longevity shows in the sheer range of what sits under one roof. Dining at the bistro, a pint of beer or glass of wine from the bar, functions for 10 to 200 people, live entertainment, pool and snooker tables, dartboards, TAB facilities, 30 gaming machines and one of the largest private libraries in the country — the club's own summary, and an accurate one.
The Member's Lounge is, in the club's words, the heart of the Petone Club — a vibrant, welcoming space for members, their invited guests and affiliate club members. The bar is a genuine drawcard: more than 17 beers on tap, a diverse range of bottled beers and cans, white, red and sparkling wines, ready-to-drink options in a range of flavours, and a premium top-shelf lineup of whiskies, vodkas, gins, rums and tequilas. Non-drinkers are well looked after too, with fizzy drinks, ginger beer and juices.
Alongside it, the Campbell Terrace Bistro is the heart of delicious dining at the club. Its menu stretches past 30 items — juicy steaks, classic burgers, fresh seafood, warming curries and tasty wraps — and covers breakfast, lunch and dinner, all at member prices in a relaxed, inviting atmosphere.
Cue players are spoiled. Six well-maintained pool tables sit in the Members Lounge for casual eight-ball or nine-ball, while upstairs a dedicated Snooker Room offers a quiet haven with eight full-sized snooker tables, available any time the club is open. Darts players get four boards in the Members Lounge plus more in the Games Room, which hosts both friendly matches and organised tournaments. Add TAB facilities for racing and sport, 30 gaming machines, and raffles every Wednesday through Saturday — cash, meat and the occasional specialised draw — and there is rarely a quiet corner.
The club's library is a point of pride: a huge assortment of books and magazines that the club bills as one of New Zealand's best and largest private collections, open Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings. For younger visitors there is a kid's area with games and activities, with activity sheets available from the bar.
Live entertainment is a staple, with acts like Emerald, Coverstory, The Neemias, Aaron Andis and The Noods appearing in the club's events calendar, alongside themed occasions such as the Mid Winter Christmas. The club's adjuncts — member-run groups with their own committees — cover a wide variety of activities and send members away to local and national tournaments and events.
The club also wears its community role formally: the Lower Hutt Memorial RSA merged as a section within the club in March 2010, and both organisations continue to serve their membership and the wider Hutt City community. Three function rooms and a dedicated Functions & Events Manager handle everything from a cocktail party for 200 guests to a boardroom meeting for 20 executives.
Membership, the club stresses, is about more than access — it is joining a community. Members enjoy full use of all areas, entertainment spaces, weekly events and sports facilities, plus perks like member draws and a special gift on their birthday. Affiliated club members are welcome too.
The club opens at 10:00am daily, closing at 9:00pm on Mondays and Sundays, 9:30pm Tuesday to Thursday and 11:00pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Whether you come for a hearty bistro lunch, a frame of snooker, Saturday raffles or a night of live music, the Petone Club's promise is the same one it has kept since 1887: there is always something going on.