Harbour City Bears To Move On From Oxford Hotel After Feeling ‘Less & Less Welcome’

Sydney’s Harbour City Bears (HCB) has announced it will relocate its events from Oxford Street’s Oxford Hotel to the Kings Cross Hotel — after members reported feeling increasingly unwelcome, and the venue declined to host the group on Mardi Gras night.

The move marks the end of an era for the long-running community group, which has held events at the Oxford Hotel — which is owned by the Universal Hotels Group — for years. HCB said their final ‘Furry Fridays’ event at the venue will be Friday 21 November, with the first Kings Cross edition to take place a week later on 28 November.

In an email to members, which has been sighted by Star Observer, HCB said the decision came “a little earlier than planned” after the Oxford “unexpectedly asked us to finish up ahead of schedule”.

The email explained that the move follows months of feedback from members who “felt less welcome at The Oxford” and a noticeable decline in attendance.

“Earlier this year, The Oxford also informed us that they did not wish to host us for Mardi Gras night, preferring to cater to the general public instead,” the committee wrote. “That made it clear we needed to find a new home that truly valued our community.”

Members felt “less welcome” at Oxford Hotel

HCB President Scott Ridley told Star Observer that the decision followed ongoing concerns raised by members about the atmosphere and treatment they experienced at the Oxford.

“Over time, a lot of our members started to feel that the atmosphere there wasn’t as community-focused as it once was. People told us they felt less welcome and that the venue wasn’t really interested in our group beyond the bar spend.”

Ridley said members had shared a range of experiences that contributed to this feeling, including “being asked to tone down displays of affection or to adjust their clothing,” and “a few instances where interactions with staff left patrons feeling judged or unwelcome.”

He also cited technical issues and rising prices as factors that made the venue feel less inclusive, saying there was “a general sense that the venue was not especially engaged with promoting or acknowledging our event.”

Bookings for parties and hens nights were also sometimes accepted on the same night, Ridley said, with HCB asked to “make space for them, which added to the sense that our event had become a lower priority.”

Oxford Street’s changing character

Ridley noted that the decision also reflected broader shifts in Oxford Street’s nightlife and ownership.

“Oxford Street itself has changed a lot too, as many of the venues are now part of larger hospitality groups, and the street’s overall character has become much more corporate and less community-driven,” he said. “There’s still some fantastic, welcoming spots, but they tend to be smaller spaces that can’t easily accommodate an event of our size.”

He added that the current push to “revitalise” the precinct feels “disconnected from what made the area special in the first place.”

“A lot of the new developments seem geared toward a more high-end, polished crowd,” Ridley said. “There’s no sign of the diverse, creative and slightly gritty energy that was the core of Oxford Street.”

Mardi Gras night rejection

Ridley also confirmed that the Oxford declined to host the group on Mardi Gras night, citing concerns about bar revenue.

“The Oxford’s management advised that as many of our members would be participating in the parade, they anticipated lower bar revenue that evening from us and therefore did not wish to allocate the space to our event,” he said.

While the venue later offered HCB use of the basement level, “the proposed bar spend requirement was unfortunately well beyond what would be feasible for our members.”

A new home in Kings Cross

Despite the disappointment, Ridley said the move to Kings Cross Hotel represents a fresh start for the group, and they’re feeling positive about it all.

“We’re really grateful to The Oxford for the years we spent there,” he said. “But moving to the Kings Cross Hotel feels like a great new chapter as the team there has been genuinely enthusiastic and welcoming.”

While Kings Cross may no longer be considered part of Sydney’s modern “gaybourhood,” Ridley added that “it has been in the past — and maybe we can help to make it so again.”

Harbour City Bears’ first Furry Friday at the Kings Cross Hotel will take place on 28 November, with a full relaunch of the event planned for January 2026.

The Oxford Hotel has been contacted for comment.