Iconic Restaurant Mister D: Dancing since day one.

Mister D, an iconic restaurant in Napier, draws immense inspiration from music for their brand. From guitars hanging like artworks on their walls to a shout-out to Bob Dylan in their ‘Friends of Mister D’ list on their website, and ever-present heroes like David Bowie gazing out from their social media feeds, music is everywhere.

Mister D... even their namesake is taken from the Rolling Stones song ‘Dancing with Mister D’ from their 1973 album ‘Goat’s Head Soup’. Claiming to be “…a little bit country and a little bit rock & roll…”, there’s no denying that music is an integral part of their effortlessly cool vibe, making a OneMusic licence a no-brainer from day one.

During a visit for the Restaurant Association’s Hawke’s Bay Hospitality Awards, OneMusic had the opportunity to chat with Mister D’s co-owner Prue Barton (also Hawke’s Bay’s Branch President for the Restaurant Association) to hear more about their love of music and how they feel about paying a music licence during such difficult economic times.

The awards night was a real celebration of the tenacity and strength of local hospitality, still standing after the flow-on effects of Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023. Since then, the drop in regional tourism has been a huge challenge, on top of rising costs across all areas of delivery. For many, a music licence can feel like an unnecessary burden on top of everything else.

Holly Vaihu and Liz Diamond from OneMusic NZ with Mister D co-owners Prue Barton and David Griffiths at the 2024 Hawke’s Bay Hospitality Awards in Napier.

“At the end of the day, musicians need to be paid for the time and expertise that goes into the music they make, and we get that there’s a difference between personal and public music use" says Prue.

Yes, it is another cost to bear, but we use music every day to set the mood, so it’s only right that we acknowledge that. You wouldn’t expect an artist to give away their work for free - it’s the same with music.

Having been in the business for many years now, Prue has long been aware of the obligations of paying a music licence as part and parcel of running a restaurant and says her family ties to the music industry mean she can relate to both sides of the fence. “My daughter is a musician, so there’s a direct relationship there. Even though it’s hard times for our industry right now, everyone is struggling to make ends meet, and this is how artists get recognised for their craft.”

Co-owner and Mister D chef David Griffiths is also a musician, playing in a local social trio, ‘Three Shots to the Head’.

For us, it’s about having fun - and music is a channel for that. Lately, we’ve been using the catchphrase ‘Dancing from day one', which is just the essence of how we feel about what we do. In hospo, it’s full commitment, all day every day, so let’s dance and have fun while we’re doing it!

You can visit Mister D at 47 Tennyson Street, Napier South, Napier 4110.

Find out more about the music licences that are right for your business here.