A tug-of-war over a disco ball has sparked an unlikely conflict between the owners of two of Dunedin’s live music venues.

Jenny Duncan and Andy Frost suspended the eye-catching 50cm disco ball from the ceiling of Pearl Diver soon after opening the bar in early 2024.

They never suspected it would become a source of controversy.

However, Crown Hotel’s Jones Chin maintains he is the rightful owner of the disco ball. Last week, he reclaimed what he considers to be his property.

Ms Duncan and Mr Frost said they have been left puzzled and want to get to the bottom of the situation.

Mr Frost said the first inkling the disco ball was under dispute came on March 27 when Mr Chin came into Pearl Diver and asked for his disco ball back.

"I thought he was joking at first, but then I realised he was serious.

"I told him it was ours and that we got it from a friend," Mr Frost said

The following week, Ms Duncan and Mr Frost agreed to give Mr Chin the disco ball because he was so adamant it was his.

"Jones usually knows what’s what. Who can argue with him?" Ms Duncan said.

"Our friend can’t remember who he got it from — the ball’s had a few rotations. Maybe it is Jones’ disco ball? But maybe it’s not?"

Ms Duncan and Mr Frost said they regret giving him the disco ball without asking more questions.

Mr Frost said the situation was bad timing because they were due to have a disco night that same evening.

"What’s a disco night without a huge disco ball? We had to get an emergency one, but it’s quite small," he said, gesturing to a pint-sized disco ball in place at the venue.

Mr Chin told the Otago Daily Times he was adamant the disco ball was his, despite being uncertain about how it came to be at Pearl Diver.

Mr Chin said he recognised his disco ball because it was damaged in a particular way.

"I dropped it once, that’s what all the broken mirror pieces are from."

"And there aren’t many disco balls this size around."

Mr Chin said he lost track of the disco ball’s whereabouts "at least two or three years ago" after lending it to someone.

He said his best guess as to who borrowed it was Danny Brady, a sound engineer who works for The Crown and Pearl Diver.

Mr Brady said he has no recollection of this.

"As much as I don’t trust my memory sometimes, I feel like I would remember borrowing something off Jones," he said.

Local musician Christian Unkovich-McNab said he gave Ms Duncan and Mr Frost the disco ball in 2021.

He said he could not remember where he had got it from.

"But I’d owned it since at least 2019," he said, whipping out a time-stamped photo as evidence.

Mr Chin and Mr Unkovich-McNab agreed the disco ball was never loaned between them.

Ms Duncan has an idea how to solve the problem.

"I think the solution is to apprehend it and hold it hostage until we figure out where Christian got the ball from," she said.