Oxford St icon says closure on the cards due to “catastrophic” lockouts laws

Oxford St icon says closure on the cards due to “catastrophic” lockouts laws
Image: Taylor Square Newsagent

THE owner of one of the longest-running businesses in Sydney’s Oxford St precinct has told the Star Observer he is considering closing due to a 40 per cent drop in trade since the NSW Government’s controversial lockout laws were introduced.

The legislation has become a central issue in the LGBTI-centric electorate of Sydney in the run up to Saturday’s NSW State Election with the major candidates in disagreement about it and “lockouts saves lives” posters appearing on lampposts.

Introduced last February, the laws contain a raft of measures to curb alcohol-fuelled violence in central Sydney — as well as inner-city areas like Darlinghurst and Kings Cross — including lockouts from licensed premises after 1.30am and no alcohol service after 3am.

Taylor Square Newsagency owner Mark Pigott said the laws had been “catastrophic” for local traders, numbers of passers-by had plummeted and it was likely the store would close in September when the lease came up for renewal.

The business, which has been in the same family for three generations, is located just a few doors down from the popular Stonewall Hotel on Oxford St and, according toPigott, serves scores of LGBTI customers.

However Pigott said Darlinghurst was suffering to solve a violence problem primarily centred on Kings Cross.

“Instead of taking fly spray to deal with the issue they’ve taken a two-by-four to your knees,” he said.

“There’s been issues regarding Oxford St for many decades but in my livelihood of working 40 years on this street [the lockouts have] had the catastrophic effect.

“It’s no doubt been the final nail in the coffin.

“The whole street’s going to be a vacant lot.”

Pigott said many workers clocking off from a late shift, particularly from the nearby hospitals and restaurants, would come to Oxford St for a drink “with no intention of being a problem”.

“But who wants to go to a fun park when all the rollercoasters have to close and because of that Sideshow Alley – us – are also closing?” he said.

Pigott’s grandfather first opened a newspaper kiosk on Oxford St in 1932 which eventually became today’s shop, thought to be Sydney’s only 24 hour newsagent.

In January, the licensee of Darlinghurst’s Flinders Hotel, Jason Ryan, said he had closed down the pub and laid off 10 staff following a 60 per cent downturn in business due to the lockout laws.

Greens candidate for Sydney Chris Brentin said 42 businesses had shut in Kings Cross since the new laws began.

“We need to be encouraging responsible service of alcohol so we can actually pinpoint venues that aren’t acting responsibly and impose the restriction on them,” he said.

Sydney state independent MP Alex Greenwich said the 1.30am lockout should only be imposed on troublesome venues while all licensed premises state-wide should stop serving alcohol at 3am.

“Well-run venues should be able to work towards an exemption because we need to have diversity in our night life,” he said.

Greenwich claimed part of the problem laid with the former Labor Government because “they gave out 24/7 licences like it was caviar”.

The comments were rounded on by Labor candidate for Sydney Edwina Lloyd, a supporter of the lockouts, who said Greenwich was out of step with medical experts and local voters.

“Some business are not going to survive, some will be able to adapt I will work to bring some creative ideas to change business from relying on 3am booze to something else,” she said.

Liberal candidate for Sydney Patrice Pandeleos also backed the lockouts: “I wholeheartedly support the laws and the Baird Government is committed to not watering them down.”

In January the State Government said they would bring forward a review on the laws from 2016 to this June.

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88 responses to “Oxford St icon says closure on the cards due to “catastrophic” lockouts laws”

  1. I have a funny feeling that this was Fred Nile’s plan all along to pass this so-called “Lock-Out Laws” in the upper house – doing deals with the Liberal Devils! It is a massive cover-up and conspiracy against LGBTI people of Australia!

  2. Sad to read venues closing every other month..how about we all take time every week, weekend or month and have a drink, coffee, or just take a walk along the oxford street

  3. Lived in Sydney when there werent any lockout laws and we partied responsibly..now it has just all gone dead..dread returning to a place where you cant go clubbing till the wee hours of the morning..I now live in fiji and we party hard till dawn here..no problems like what you have there..and the businesses are making the most of it..so why not come party in the islands..it’s wild..lol

  4. It’s sad walking down the street at 2 am and the streets are dead , Oxford st is a dying street I feel for all the businesses on the strip that used to make $$ from the late night revellers

  5. its open 24 hours – presumably they would usually have got a lot of walk past trade – i’ve seen people in there at all hours – probably buying cigarettes & gum,

    As a family run business they probably wouldn’t save salaries if they closed at 2am. Its also a big site, presumably high rent, but no significant food or petrol sales overnight to support it.

  6. Just to let everyone know that the Outdoor Recreation Party (sister to the Liberal Democrats) are opposed to such dreadful nanny state laws, as lockouts. I am the lead candidate for ORP, so please vote 1, Group B, on the Legislative Council ballot. That’s the large ballot. Help us get rid of the lockout laws.

  7. Lockout laws are the latest tactical option tried by government and police.

    A strategic plan for entertainment precincts needs to be developed by industry, the public, police and government. Until then, tactical reactionary policies is all police etc have, so lockouts will continue.

    Who’s up to working on developing an holistic strategic plan?

  8. The problem is our drinking culture, not how long clubs and pubs are open until. Closing these venues early will not alter the culture and will not stop drunk, disorderly and violent behaviour.
    Other societies have alcohol as widely available but children are introduced to alcohol at an early age at the dinner table yet these societies do not suffer the same alcohol fuelled problems that we do. So once again, it’s not availability which is the issue but our underlying culture. Deal with that and you will deal with the problem.
    Early lockouts and closures will simply move the problem of violence into the homes and into the suburbs.

  9. Wait. What? How is this place affected by people not being able to drink at 3am? I’m not disputing that lock outs are idiotic. But how exactly do they affect a newsagent? One that could scrape together a little more by closing overnight…? Not seeing the link here.

  10. A huge threat to this and other news agencies is the LNP plan to have lottery tickets and scratchies soles at supermarkets

  11. When tourists are giving Brisbane the thumbs up over Sydney because of lockout you have a serious problem on your hands. Unless you are a property developer of course $$$ ka-ching!

  12. I think the alcohol law does affect all businesses on oxford.
    I still go out, but not as often as as crazy as before. Many of my friend feel the same.
    It is easy to say to go out early, but our lives out of oxford street havent been affect by the lock out law, so pretty much we still do other things as the usual time, it is hard to adjust the drinking and party habit just because the lock out law.
    For example, you take off work at 5, then go home dinner shower. Then by the time you go out it always be like 9 or 10ish. Nobody go out before that time.

    • If everyone started going out a bit earlier there’d be people out :-) Albury used to be packed by 8pm to 1am, and Town Hall hotel was packed 7pm to midnight on Sundays.

    • Like I said the life outside of going to party hasn’t change, most of us still finish work at 5pm on Fridays. Going out early on Friday, means skip many other things that you usually do, such as dinner gym shower a rest.

    • But that’s not the point, why am I not allowed to have a drink at where and when I want it. The whole alcohol regulation is ridiculous. People should be allowed to drink at where ever whenever they want, but be responsible. That’s it.

    • Too many drinkers aren’t responsible though. There’s your problem.

      And when people put up around arguments like “I can’t go out earlier brvause I’ve got gym” then you can see why people don’t take respnsibilty for their actions.

    • Oxford street used to be great. As has been said, pubs and clubs used to close by 1am or 3am in its real hey day and no one complained.

      Oxford street isn’t what it used to be. Let it die.

    • That example is insane. I drink often, I go out often, I am always responsible when I am drinking.
      Also why do we have so many alcohol free zone and so many regulations on drinking. There is nothing wrong with drinking, it doesn’t effect anyone else, either I drink at a park or a restaurant. Same thing, consume alcohol like other people consume food, I think the regulation around alcohol in Australia is ridiculous and unfair.

    • Ryan you missed the point.

      You may be a responsible drinker. But too many others aren’t.

      The right to drink “anywhere anytime” is self centred hedonism and is a mockery in comparison to actual injustices that glbt people face.

      Lifting the lockouts won’t rescue Oxford st. It was dying a long time ago.

    • To ban drinking because some are not responsible drinkers? Let’s try driving, driving causes death. Some of us are responsible drivers, others are not, ban drinking driving.
      Drinking itself have zero impact on the others. Like drinking water and eating food, shouldnt be regulated. I loved in China for 30 years, you can drink in any restaurant and public places such as park. Yet, I don’t think Australia is any better than China on the drinking behavior control perspective.
      To regulate drinking is example of people go completely insane.
      Oxford may experience a change, but alcohol law is just making the situation worse. I don’t think oxford is dying, I pretty enjoy a night out before the lock out, many other people are just like me.

  13. Just wait for winter to kick in… traditionally numbers drop – so expect more venue closures or roll backs, and more shops closing as the stuggling businesses finally collapse.

  14. The ‘lock out laws’ are just Another Well disguised form of discrimination.. That’s what I think. And in my opinion and from my experience.. I have talked to alot of people about the lock out laws…both for and against… And without offending anyone… I have found that the ‘majority’ of those in support of the lock outs …. ‘Have already ‘experienced their own Late-nights-out’ and aren’t interetested in staying out past …whenever … But some of us do.enjoy partying til the sun comes up…

    • I agree with you but as an older person that has partied etc and not so interested anymore still support stopping lock outs as everyone no matter what age has the right to enjoy themselves and it would be selfish not to want that for younger people also. The older people that say to you the don’t care or what ever as they already partied years ago are self centered.

  15. Some of us are just night owls and have been since forever, like when our parents kept telling us to go to sleep…cause we’re awake and happy at 2am… Lock out laws are killing me… It’s depressing!

  16. If you’ve seen Oxford St lately, this is totally believable. It’s like somebody sucked the crowds and life out of the area. Shame to see such an iconic hotspot lose a bit of its spark.

    • I think the lockout laws accelerated the decay.

      Oxford St has been going downhill for at least 10 years, but venues seem to not know how to adapt to changing needs.

      Younger people are happier to go to mixed venues now, and older people don’t usually party into the early morning.

      It’s good to see the Shift adapting somewhat, and other venues like the Oxford, Stonewall, Colombian etc will need to follow.

  17. The parliamentary vote for lockout laws in Sydney was ‘carried on the voices.’ i.e. no members of the Assembly called for a division so bipartisan support was assumed and no formal ballot was taken.

  18. It’s a shame, all those years when I was working rotating shifts Piggotts was always open, and Mark, or his father, or his Grandfather, or Michael and the other lads, were there to help with their ‘no attitude’ welcoming.

    • Asking people to vote Labor ahead of Greens at a state level does the same. As Geoff mentions below, it was carried on an assumption of bipartisan support. And the campaign material reflects this. I just think its important to know the facts, as you have been very vocal about the issue.

    • So Dejay as the Greens on all available evidence will win a maximum of 3 seats ( Newtown, Balmain and Lismore.)
      Why is voting Greens a smart thing when they will not be on the treasury benches?
      What is the Greens plan to change the thinking of the LNP and the ALP?
      The Greens are running a very low profile campaign in Sydney as they have no extra capacity to fight in Sydney whilst putting the majority of their resources in Newtown and Balmain.

    • Oh this argument AGAIN.. You know what, the Greens have been a continuing growing political force, in both the lower and upper houses of parliaments around Australia. We often hold the balance of power in those houses, and with our growing numbers, hope to replace the parties that take the westminster 2 party system for granted.
      But someone wrote a great piece the other day that you may want to read..
      https://oxycontinnightmare.wordpress.com/2015/03/25/when-did-i-become-such-a-greeny-fuck-and-why-you-should-too/

  19. If clubs and pubs adapted and changed, encouraging people to the venues earlier and daytime on weekends (like it used to be), they’d make just as much money. Remember, the. Albury used to close at 1am, but was packed from 7.30pm. And West Hollywood thrives with not having alcohol after 1am.

    • I’m sorry but I disagree… Between 5-6:30 we’re all scrambling home through the city traffic… Grab a shower. 7:30-10:30 is dinner time…and a bit of a relax after the busy week & Out the door by 12 midnight…this totally suits me… Ya fave clubs are now shutting early cause there’s no options to visit more than one group of friends in one establishment.. As you need to be in a club or in a queue to one BY 1am at the lastest if you want any chance of getting in the door by 1:30… Often leaving people stranded on the street after 1:30

    • that has nothing to do with the venues – the culture is there for late night dancing and drinking because there is nothing else to do and people want to be out late. the problem in sydney is everything is relegated to the same time. if you want dinner you have to eat between 6-9 maybe 10. so if people go out and see a show and grab dinner already the hours conflict. then if you want to go out later everything is closed. even the cinemas have last movies at 9. young people or shift workers have no other option than clubs and bars. . its not practical in a 24hr city and I suspect you are looking at this from an older person perspective.

    • if we are at a friends houseparty we might want to continue on afterwards but we cant because there is a lockout or people were at the kylie concert and want to go afterwards to a gay club to continue dancing why shouldnt they have that option?

      people work very hard and long hours in sydney and its bloody expensive place to live. why shoudlnt they have the right to go out late to have a drink and a dance?

    • Thaanks… I understand locals are happier when the streets are cleaner (but are they really) Hundreds probably thousands of people are out of work and have been negatively affected. Because a few can’t control themselves. It’s just a bandaid solution to a universal problem of trying to control the behaviour of others…when rwally there should be improved education…and less advertisements and movies made depicicting excessive, habitual, negative, unlawful behaviour!

    • Well yes. When I was clubbing most places were closed by 5am – a couple of exceptions like back bar at the Beresford or Carrington. We also did a lot of partying on Saturday and Sunday afternoons but obviously different than nighttime (more like pool party at Ivy or beer busts or day drag).

      It is different times and things have changed. However lockout laws isn’t the driver – otherwise Newtown scene wouldn’t have died as well.

    • Michael… I honestly think it’s discrimination against the ‘type’ of people that frequent bars and clubs late at night #despicable. #late night revellers.. Oh they’re being slowly and quietly shut down.. Like a quiet strangulation..

    • well its true Richard the gay scene had been dying for years but we should be working on saving it and this has been the final nail in the coffin. Many gays do beresford sunday arvos and there are a lot more day parties now. I still think the premise of blanket bans like this is just stupid and over the top and dont address the real problem of violence and lack of outlets for people. Sydney is a nanny police state and its only getting worse

    • Peeps feeling depressed about not being able to effect any change… .I’m totally frustrated like many others with the current political events taking place or lack there of…

    • Yep. Funny, my dad used to talk about the 6pm swill – all pubs closed at 6pm so on a Friday after work people would down so much alcohol that by 6.30 they were lying in the city gutters. The solution was to extend pub hours, and over the years the hours have got longer and longer across all venues.

      Lockout laws are a reaction to a problem – they weren’t just put in though , but we’re the last attempt. Three strikes rules (and other ideas) were imposed first.

      The lockout laws are one tactical response, but a strategic plan needs to be developed that encourages strong, profitable, safe entertainment precincts. Until that’s developed, tactical solutions are the only real options governments and police have.

    • Richard, yet none of the people who died would have been saved by the lockout laws, those assaults were early in the evening and those types of assaults are still happening all these laws have done is damaged the night time economy

    • The actual trigger for the reaction might have been (wrongly) the one-punch deaths, but the wider problem was the level of general assaults. Alcohol-related assaults have dropped in Kings Cross by 40% between Feb 2014 and Jan 2015. In the same period St Vincents Hospital reported a 50% drop in injuries admitted to emergency after alcohol-related violence. And police have said there is no evidence that problems have moved elsewhere. Obviously less people result in less crime – lockouts caused less people.

      I’m not saying it is the right solution, but until an holistic solution is developed and agreed, the alternative to lockouts is higher violence (and higher social and economic cost).