Bureaucracy gone mad
When one mentions the Imperial Hotel, it conjures up all manner of imagery, from the marvellous drag queens who strut the stage in cutting-edge routines and costumes to the squalid toilets that were once dotted around the building. And we can’t forget the scenes that open and close the internationally renowned drag film that inspired a mega-successful stage musical -“ The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
The Imperial is an icon, both within our community and on the global stage. She should be loved, cherished, nurtured and embraced.
Why then is giving this historically significant public bar a makeover turning into such a difficult and expensive farce? It seems to be doing little more than lining the pockets of a handful of lawyers and clogging our courts.
The answer lies with a small handful of vocal whingers -” most of whom moved in long after the Imperial opened its doors -” determined to sanitise this healthy and diverse suburb of many of the things that provide its charm and character.
The group came together -” and quite rightly -” several months ago to fight off an entirely inappropriate supermarket development planned for Erskineville Rd. But now that battle is over and the group seems to have a taste for blood -“ and the Imperial’s seems to be the tasty drink of the day.
It is inappropriate for this group to use its small power base and previous links to City decision makers to stymie the future of one of Erskineville’s finest corporate citizens.
Having lived in Erskineville for many years -” a good part of those directly opposite the Imperial -” I can personally vouch for the ongoing good behaviour of the venue, its staff and the diverse collection of locals and visitors who love to stop in for a drink.
And let’s not forget the Imperial’s long-standing commitment to helping charities and community groups by allowing its spaces to be used -” free of charge -” for fundraising events.
The City of Sydney’s decision to unfairly limit the Imperial’s patron numbers is a mistake. It will create more street noise than it will deter as people queue for hours on the narrow footpath waiting to get inside the new venue.
And you can bet the over-zealous group of residents who fought so hard against the Imperial’s redevelopment will be the first on the complaints line when they realise their gross misjudgment.
The biggest problem with this campaign for the expansion of The Imperial has been the unwillingness to engage in frank, robust, transparent discussion about the merits of the Development Application for an area as densely populated as Erskineville.
While the Friends of Erskineville may baulk at such a debate, I see such discussions as healthy for – indeed vital to – a democracy.
Assuming the proposal for ~800 people in the PoPE areas was the intended figure, rather than a ‘high ball’ to make the ‘compromise’ position greater, it’s still a massive increase from the previous limits of less than 350 and flies in the face of a groundswell of public support for smaller, cosier venues. An 800 person venue surely belongs somewhere that could accomodate the traffic like near the Factory Theatre. Council’s ‘compromise’ ruling of 442, some 50% greater capacity than before, should be seen as a satisfactory outcome for all involved. It would be a shame if the developer’s greed pushed him to delay the reopening of the Imperial even more in pursuit of a higher number. I, for one, am looking forward to a drink and drag show sooner, rather than later.
I have tried to engage the members of the 2500+ strong Facebook group “Save The Imperial Hotel” in this debate. Unfortunately its administrator, Adrian Lovney, appears to take his cues from Fox News in his presentation of the facts and dealings with any nuanced, dispassionate discussion. My posts there expressing concern at its With Us or Against Us frame (Pro or Anti-Imperial, rather than Pro or Anti- Development Application) and calling for a candid, transparent debate on the issues have been deleted – which leads to me wonder what his personal and financial interests in the development are. I’d hate to be left to my own, increasingly cyncial, conclusions about those interests.
Dear Sir,
We write to you very concerned our name is being used to oppose The Imperial Hotel Development Application. We are not a local resident group with a brief from the community to take on any issues other than the development the two story Woolworths supermarket on The Hive site.
I think it is a case of don’t believe everything you read or hear, we have NOT taken any position on The Imperial or any other local issue. We only have a mandate (as per minutes of the community meeting on our website) from the local community to fight the Woolworth’s two storey supermarket.
That is what we continue to do with the matter now in the Land & Environment Court as a result of an appeal after council rejected the development appication. Updates are on our website, we have a long way to go.
I hope this clarifies the inaccurate story.
Friends of Erskineville
Paul Howard