Smokers ‘killing Oxford St’
The owners of The Gaff nightclub say Oxford St is dying, and unless venues are allowed to expand to take smokers off the streets the strip will only get worse.
The City of Sydney Council knocked back the venue’s request to expand into the adjacent shop in March amid community concern about homophobic and alcohol-related violence problems on the Golden Mile.
The Gaff’s Steve Baldacchino has applied for a review of that decision to explain that the additional space will allow a smoking area, taking smokers inside and off the streets.
If approved, the development application will also allow the venue to operate more effectively as a restaurant during day-time hours.
Oxford St is dying, and we’re trying to get some decent day trade back to Oxford St, Baldacchino told Sydney Star Observer.
People’s first reaction to seeing the development application was to assume the venue just wanted to expand its numbers, he admitted.
More space, more people, more noise -” but that’s not the case. We’re trying to do the right thing by the people, he said.
It doesn’t help anybody to have smokers all waiting around outside the venue.
The venue primarily catered to tourists, Baldacchino said, but was open to anyone. Having an expanded restaurant during the day would help the entire community, he said, including local residents and businesses.
One group of residents calling themselves the Hyde Park Community Voice has launched a petition to stop The Gaff’s expansion plans, and is asking local residents to write a personal impact statement for Council.
The petition can be found on its website at www.hpcvoice.com/gaff_petition.
Last week it was revealed that straight venue Havana, next to Stonewall on Oxford St, is also seeking to extend its 3am licence to 5am for a one-year trial period.
Gay venues Stonewall and Colombian Hotels were both given an extension on their 24-hour licences last month.
I visited Oxford Street 5 years ago (2003), and what a hoot!. Nice, varied, pretty ok as it goes. Fast forward to 2008. YUCH!. For Sydney to voice itself on the international arena as a welcoming, full-on party, open Australian city – wrong!. There is nothing attractive about Gay Oxford Street, and my impression of fickle, surley, rather arrogant (and insecure with a huge inferiority complex) of Sydney queens, is they don’t wish to change anything – but instead have this rather lame ‘we are the best in thr world’ attitude!. WRONG!. get over it, and travel. Go to London, Toronto, Berlin etc etc. Oxford Street is TRASH!. It and the people on it are nothing short of embarassing who all they know is how to drink to some insane point! – wonder why they are drinking so much one must ask!?.
I will return from my holiday and nto advise others to visit Sydney – it is a waste of time and air fare!
If theres anywhere thats community oriented and a more pleasant Gay Strip it would be Stanley Street!!
Everyone knows that Newtown is the best place to go out to.Its alive and fresh with heaps of quality shops not to mention leafy streets.
Ive lived in Darlinghurst and after 3 short months I had to get out.The rents are insane,the violence,noise,drug deals, and just the scum-bags that loiter around taylor square traffic lights on a sunday morning is enough.Not to mention Oxford street is dead during the day and the only excitment is watching beggers limp past.
My garage got broken into and the King-cross injecting room is only a 10 minute stroll away,great.
As to the smoking ,you know what? I couldn’t give a toss,because as seeing all the doom and gloom in darlinghurst,you need a smoke to relax.
Ronson,
I recall Enzo’s bar was in Paddington, across the road from the Town Hall. It may have been in Bondi Junction as well. Chez Ivy’s was in Bondi Junction.
I left Sydney in 1989 and have just returned. Oxford St. was dangerous and devoid of charm in 1989. I guess the street is a mirror of the city at large. Syney never has been a genteel city. However, it is a pulsating city that welcomes allcomers. There is plenty of room to develop several areas where gays can congregate in safety. The gay community has to forge it’s own space in Sydney.
John
I don’t think six lanes of through-traffic makes it easy to establish the kinds of spaces hdp suggests are the hallmarks of a “gaybourhood”. There’s more chance in quieter, narrower streets or closed off streets (pedestrian/cycle only) where there’s a bit more of the kind of ambience that encourages outdoor eateries, bookstores, theatre, small pubs (thanks to the new laws). Oxford Street isn’t probably salvageable nor probably should be; it’s not worth effort.
What is wrong with Parramatta Road?
The so-called “gay capital” is San Fransisco – NOT Sydney.
In my short time in Sydney I did notice a shift in the general mood of Oxford street. It’s probably for a number of reasons so it can’t be entirely blamed on smokers. However, I believe as individuals we need to really consider how our own substance use (alcohol, cigarettes or otherwise) affects those around us. An aspect of this conversation people seem to be forgetting is that smoking is a very public way to ingest a substance. Smoking within breathing distance of other people (even in the street) without their explicit permission might not be illegal but it is still a very selfish thing to do.
Its not smoking thats killing Oxford Street its the Alcohol. Its little mummies boys that come in from the West every weekend treating the area like a Toilet Bowl because they cant treat their own homes like that otherwise they wont get any pocket money from Mum!!!! Please dont blame the smokers!
@ Johnathon
For what it’s worth, I do stay away. My point is that businesses are losing quality trade not because of smoking laws, but because people are realising that Oxford Street has no redeeming features. And as people get richer they are no longer content to waste their time on a street with all the appeal of Parramatta Road.
Hmmm – seems all you people want to do is bitch and moan. If you don’t like Oxford St, stay away … nobody is forcing you to go there. But on the story in question, I have to say i agree the change in smoking laws has had a significant impact on the look, fell and safety of the street and I don’t think the Gaff’s comments are that far from the mark.
You’re right, Kim. I hate Oxford St so much these days that as soon as I see a mention of it, I’m off and running (or at least my fingers are banging the keyboard!).
As for the smoke(screen?), does anyone believe anything a venue owner says these days?
Dawn, where are you, luv?
While I agree with every other poster on this article, I fail to see what any of their comments have to do with ‘Smokers Killing Ocford St’ – not one of them has commented on whether or not smoking is killing Oxford St!!! It is clear form all comments that other things [than smoking] have long since killed Oxford St.
hdp, thank God! I thought I was the only one with this opinion. As far as Im concerned, Melbourne is the Gay Capital of Australia. Sydneys scene is absolute crap! If you could call it a scene. Oxford Street is like an outdoor toilet block, Street beggers, Drug dealers, bad mouthing and extreme drunken behaviour. Even smaller cities have more sophistication. This makes me ashamed to call myself GAY!
hdp,
you probably said it more strongly than I would’ve but I agree with what you say.
When you see the quiet and friendly bars in other countries, especially where over 30s are not considered paedos, I am very envious.
It would be so nice to be able to have a quiet drink with a friend or two in pleasant surroundings (anyone remember Enzo’s in Bondi Junction? That’s what I mean.). Perhaps with the change to liquor license laws we might see some small bars open.
Pull the other one. Oxford Street is a hideous street devoid of any charm, style, class and sophistication. Compared with gay precincts in Madrid, Paris, London, Amsterdam etc. Oxford Street is trash and as such it attracts trash. The bars and clubs are shiteous. Are Sydney queens so horrible to look at that every bar is dark and unwelcoming? Just pack up shop and relocate the gaybourhood to a neighbourhood to be proud of. A narrow charming street with trees and fountains and outdoor cafes and bookstores and a little theatre etc and the LGBTs will come. And leave Oxford Street to the crappola saunas and dingey bars that are a reminder of the days when being gay was something to be ashamed of.
Get with it Sydney … you have no entitlement to being called a ‘gay capital’ because your gaybourhood is SHIT.
While no fan of The Gaff, forcing smokers out on to the streets has come at a significant cost to our community. I am all for the health benefits, and appreciate socialising in a smoke-free environment …. but little thought was given to what would happen to these people – and let’s remember smoking is not illegal and the goivt hets millions in tazes from the sale of cigs – after the laws changed. What we are seeing now is gays and lesbians forced onto the streets where they are subjected to increased amounts of homophobic violence and abuse.