New owner waiting in wings at Sydney’s iconic Priscilla pub

New owner waiting in wings at Sydney’s iconic Priscilla pub
Image: The Imperial Hotel (PHOTO: Ann-Marie Calilhanna; Star Observer)

ICONIC inner western Sydney gay-friendly bar the Imperial Hotel, made famous by seminal LGBTI Australian film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, could be sold within weeks.

The Erskineville pub is currently owned by Shadd Danesi who also operates Darlinghurst gay-friendly nightclub ARQ.

However, over the Christmas period speculation emerged that an offer was on the table for the Imperial.

Events and marketing manager Penny Clifford told the Star Observer that while the current owners were not actively looking to sell the venue, discussions were taking place with a potential buyer who had come to them unsolicited.

“There is talk with someone who might buy it but if it [is sold] it will happen around March,” she said.

Clifford said no agreement had yet been reached on a sale and it was “business as usual” for at least the next few months.

“Someone has made an offer but people make offers all the time,” she said.

The Star Observer understands the potential buyer already runs a nightclub in Sydney CBD which, while predominantly catering to the heterosexual market, does feature one-off LGBTI events.

The Imperial is also attractive due to its large size and that Erskineville lies outside the NSW Government’s controversial 1.30am lockout precinct. It means late night events can be staged without the restrictions faced in the traditional party zones of Kings Cross, George Street and Darlinghurst.

However, last year the NSW Police Association recommended lockout restrictions be extended to Newtown and Erskineville with the government likely to make a decision in the next few months.

Once owned by a legend of Sydney’s gay scene, Dawn O’Donnell, the Imperial Hotel shot to international prominence after featuring in the opening and closing scenes of Priscilla – both of which were filmed on the same day.

A drag show, in homage to the film, ran for many years in the venue’s cabaret bar.

More recently, the cabaret bar and downstairs nightclub have been given over to events organised by outside promoters.

While these events have generally not been aimed at LGBTI punters, community groups including the Harbour City Bears and Club Arak have made use of the space.

Clifford says it was becoming increasingly difficult for LGBTI-only venues to pay their way.

“I’ve managed to triple the [Imperial’s] take in two years because we’re not relying on the gay dollar,” she said.

“I like to call the Imperial a mixed venue with a gay RSL in the front bar.”

Despite the hotel becoming a home for bands on Australian tours and all-night house parties, the Imperial still boasts drag four times a week including House of Drag every Saturday and Betty Trollope’s Cabaret Carry On which begins in mid-January.

Main photo credit: Ann-Marie Calilhanna; Star Observer

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8 responses to “New owner waiting in wings at Sydney’s iconic Priscilla pub”

  1. I as a gay man only enter a pub for the past ten years to try to win $1 million dollars on keno!

    My numbers are 1, 4, 7, 9, 11, 28, 38, 41, 44 and 69!

  2. Dear Paul

    We need those labels to identify which bars/clubs have an accepting atmosphere of two guys or girls holding hands or kissing – Just like how straight people can do without being looked at strangely or having their well being in danger.

    Until I can hold my partners hands on the train or at ANY pub in the world without having the fear of being attacked then I still would like to know if the club I goto is gay or supportive of the LGBT community.

    Furthermore, would it be right to say that we shouldn’t use other labels such as “Vegan friendly” at restaurants or “Halal/Kosher” on food products.

    I agree that traditional gay bars/pubs are gone, this is why the monthly men only party’s in Sydney are becoming a real hit now, at the end of the day, young and old still like the idea of having an all gay space.

  3. How about we have bars that are “for everyone” – and not just the very boring labels of “straight bar” and “gay bar”!

    And by the way I am gay and my partner is bisexual!

    I am so over labels!

    And by the way under the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (since 1 August 2013), it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of sex, breastfeeding, pregnancy, marital or relationship status, intersex status, gender idenity and sexual orientation (religious exemptions still apply)!

  4. Grindr and acceptance happened to the gay scene – people who are looking for a hook-up can just use their smartphone instead of going to a shit hole of a gay bar that hasn’t had any money spent on it for 10 years (Oxford St bars in general). Acceptance from the general community means that the glitzy, glam gays now can go to Ivy, Marquee, Establishment or any of the other decent, upmarket “straight” venues that obviously make an effort to attract and keep customers. How can the gay bars compete with multi-million dollar fit-outs when the gay crowds are deserting them in droves and greedy landlords are charging outrageous rents?! At least it looks like they are implying that Justin Hemmes might be trying to buy the Imperial. At least he will spend some money on the place!

  5. So the imperial and arq are both now known as “gay friendly”. WTF happened to sydneys gay scene i.e. the days when we actually had “gay” clubs?

    • The march of progress and time my friend. Bars and clubs need to be profitable and social media and the end of the ghetto-ism of gay areas means that the gay-scene has dispersed. There’s still a pink dollar to be made, but not so much. Like it or not, those days have gone.