Clubs fight back
The owners of the four gay clubs to be subjected to next month’s 2am lockout say they have been unfairly punished for heeding a police call to report crime in and around their venues.
The owners and licensees of Arq, Stonewall and the Exchange and Oxford hotels have sought an urgent meeting with Premier Nathan Rees to appeal the decision they say is likely to lead to an escalation of violence on Oxford St as crowds search for a place to go.
Owners from the four affected premises dispute the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOSCAR) figures that rank them as among the most violent in the state. According to the list, based on internal incidents, the Oxford has one reported assault inside the venue every two weeks.
Police won’t release an itemised list of assaults without a Freedom of Information application, which the licensees claim denies them natural justice.
Gay venues worked with police to report incidents, to have RSA [responsible service of alcohol], and we’re being punished for it, Stonewall owner Craig Bell told Sydney Star Observer at a meeting with all four venues.
We’ll be less inclined to work with police as a result of this.
The licensees believe the assault numbers have been ramped up to include incidents outside the venues and against bouncers, but this was denied by a spokeswoman for BOSCAR.
They said those gay venues open after 2am would not be able to handle the numbers of people on the strip.
Aware more venues would be added to the list later, the licensees said they wanted to know how they could be removed from the list in the future.
Bell said the number of assaults each year were less than one hundredth of a percent of the number of patrons using the venues.
The reality is that 399,978 people went to Stonewall, partied, had a great time and went home without a problem. However, only 22 people caused problems, Bell said. If you look at the ratio, you could say this is one of the safest joints you could be in.
But the Government and police are standing firm on the issue, claiming the lock-out will result in a safer Oxford St.
Apportioning blame will always be subjective, but if the measures save one person from being assaulted or glassed as a result of alcohol fuelled violence then society will be better off, NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Dave Owens said, adding that these measures introduced by the Government were just the starting point and there would be provisions to review which venues were affected.
Addressing concerns at this week’s City of Sydney GLBT community forum, Surry Hills Police Commander Donna Adney said the lock-out did not go far enough.
Something had to happen, she told the crowd. With the proliferation of 24-hour venues, only having a lock-out on four or five is not enough, because people can just go along to the next place, she said.
We will have cops on the street when we need them, but I don’t think there will be a significant difference in the numbers of people on the street.
The Surry Hills Liquor Accord will meet later this week to decide alternative restrictions to present to the Premier.
Poll: Should gay venues be exempt from the lockout? Go to www.starobserver.com.au
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It’s the gay culture to go from one venue to another between the lockdown period..
The lockdown is unfair and uncalled for.
Well.. interesting reading the views.
I promise I will NEVER EVER go out on Oxford Street again… it has tunrned into a massive hole and should be buried.
On celebrating my birthday elsewhere we decided to have”one more” on our way home at a bar on the strip I frequented many years ago.
But after informing the staff that it was time to let an intoxicated patron go, they ignored me.
Second time around-same deal!
SO to cut a long story short….I ended up in hospital and the police station. Yay Happy Birthday to meeeeeeeeeeeee!
You deserve LOCKDOWN forever… lift your game, get decent security, and switched on managment. The operaters must be paying peanuts to these guys, cause they are a big bunch of monkeys!
Clean up your act Oxford Street or you will be cleaned up.
Trust me, violence happens so fast!
Having just moved to Sydney from Queensland, i have definitely not found the gay scene in Sydney to be dead. From reading alot about what it ‘used’ to be, I have found it has just changed. Lets face it, nothing is ever going to remain the same for ever. As people leave the scene, new ones emerge and the whole scene changes again. You can make one of two choices, either change with the times or leave the ‘good old times’ where they are supposed to be left, in your memory.
In Queensland they have successfully implemented a lockout at 3am that means the venues can still trade, however they cant except new patrons after the lockout. This took some weeks of getting used to the mad rush to get into your venue of choice for the remainder of the morning, however has worked. So i fear that the lockout in Sydney may also work, which in turn will hurt a large portion of the industry including gay & straight venues.
All i suggest is that people remember the politicians who are implementing these changes. Usually these changes come in way before an election and with enough time for people to forget they have happened. Remember who they are and remember their names as you have a voice when it comes to re-electing these people and make sure its the last big mistake they ever make on your behalf.
What other venues in the area have made the list, or is it just the aforementioned 4 gay bars?
I rarely venture to Oxford St nowdays as it’s too unsafe. Even with the lockouts I still wouldn’t go to Oxford St. Gay Sydney is well and truly dead and just don’t see Oxford St going back to it’s heyday. Many of my friends have moved to Brisbane or Auckland and I am considering a move up to Queensland as the gay community here today is a huge laughing joke.
I have been attending these gay venues for the past 10years, and in that time, never encounted a problem or felt threatend on the streets. But the increasing number of straight clubs opening up in oxford St area, and with the lock out be’ing pushed. I know my safty will be a hugh risk. I have many more reason why the lock out will not work. I suggest we get a tv news crew on the streets at 2am on a sunday morning, and get the peolpes reviews that are actually out at that time. it will be an eye opener of the comments put forward.
I have personally been associated with The Exchange Hotel for over 15 years and I know for a fact that they couldn’t care less about anyone but themselves, they have defied orders from police, LLB and council alike, for them it’s all about the almighty $$$.
Saturday and Sunday mornings the foot paths are crowded with off their faces drunks, loitering unsupervised outside shops and cafes, that are trying to earn a few dollars, no self respecting person would walk on the same side of the street as them, let alone frequent the shops there, and as far as the clientele being gay, well that’s funny because I’m gay and they call me a filthy faggot when I attempt to go to my job that is quite near there, while their security stand there and laugh and do nothing.
The council have up until recently ignored pleas by local residents to stop this loitering. The footpaths are strewn with cigarette butts, bottles cans and garbage.
Let Mr Rees drop down next weekend to see for him the state of our city, it will be the end of their licence all together.
The management of The Exchange Hotel, DCM, T2 and The Gaff has ruined everything for all the other pubs and clubs in the area who I believe are doing the right thing by local residents and the gay community.
The gay community does not live by gay bars alone. Do bars charging for high priced drinks really contribute to any sense of solidarity in the gay community?
this isnt about gay venues being singled out.. it affects alot of venues straight as well….. how many times have you been to these venues and seen a fight, been a victim of alcohol related crime, or seen a overdose … come on if they managed the venues right to start with instead of wanting that extra dollar they wouldnt be on any list…the fact is these incidents occured at your venues look at your management and internal policies before you play the victim card about being on the list ….. the 2 am lockout will only push the problem to venues that are open at that time… so that dollar less is probably your punishment.. so the RSA etc should have been observed years ao :)
who gives a rats ass about the gay bars-its a about time the staff and owners of the blacklisted bars- good i say i have only ever got rude service from them.and now its come back to bite them BIG TIME.p.s and all of them can expect to make far less money as well!
The affected owners and licensees of Arq, Stonewall, Oxford and the Exchange need a reality check.
Firstly, Nathan Rees does not strike me as a person at all likely to go back on a major initiative that emanated from his own office. I would be most surprised if he even agreed to meet with these venue owners.
Secondly, it is complete rubbish to claim these 4 venues made it onto the Worst 50 pub list unfairly by reporting their of incidents that occurred outside and unrelated to their venues. If there was a shred of truth in that claim, then the Courthouse and Kinsellas would be right up there at the top of the list as they grappled nightly with the offensive Taylor Square precint.
Finally, it seems to me that that these operators would do well to look introspectively and critically at their own operations – their management of the venues has been poor, their regard for patron comfort and safety worse, their bar staff arrogant and uncaring being recruited on looks or attitude instead of competence, licensees who fail in their duties, their staff turnover high leading to ever-more incompetence, drug dealing rife within and outside their venues and their security company personnel rude, obnoxious, unhelpful when needed and corrupt.
Instead of appealing for the gay community to assist them – they should clean up there act or this trial lockout will become a permanent fixture and they will only themselves to blame.
These venues pushed the envelope too far and its now biting them back on the arse.
The days of unrestricted drinking in the name of “celebration” are over! Thank god!!
Dear SSO Readers,
Get over it !!! You trashy “booze hags” At 2 am you should be all at home anyway….I mean ,out drunk at 2am!! You would all have beer googles on!! And would prob go home with someone frightful!! (YIKES)
I SAY THROW THOSE UGLY “BOOZE HAGS” OUT!!! and keep them out Gay or Str8!
Cheers Drew :P
PS it has nothing to do with HOMOPHOBIA…..silly drunks!!
of course the homophobic authorities will attempt to kill ‘gayland’, but the word around gay Australia is that Sydney is now dead anyway!!!
I have a feeling that the Government is trying to slowly close as many Gay venues as they can over time.
The 2am lockout in Melbourne failed. Why is Sydney still bothering with theis nonsense!?
http://www.theage.com.au/national/brumby-dumps-2am-lockout-after-increase-in-violence-20081110-5l8w.html