West loses stalwart event

The Three Sisters Social Group has for the first time in 29 years been forced to postpone its annual Queen’s Birthday weekend ball because of problems with the venue.
Traditionally held at the Fairmont Resort in the Blue Mountains, the Three Sisters cancelled the reservation over concerns the venue was in a state of disrepair.
After an extensive search to find another venue they have been forced to postpone the event indefinitely, club secretary Warren Brash said.
“The Fairmont has completely run itself down and we feel that even though we have a contract, it would not be abided by the Fairmont Resort, so we’ve cancelled the contract,” Brash told Sydney Star Observer.
“We’ve looked at every other avenue up here, we’ve looked at every other venue there possibly is, and there’s no venue that could possibly take the 330 people who have been coming to us for the past years.”
The decision marked a low point for the group and the western suburbs gay and lesbian community which in recent years has lost several events due to venue problems.
“It is sad. The ball has been the anchor of the Queen’s Birthday activities up here,” Brash said.
“The majority of people who come up for these events are from outside the mountains, so this is going to have an economic impact. It’s an important event for the Blue Mountains and of course the gay and lesbian community up here.”
The group is still waiting for the return of $800 from its holding deposit. They remain focused on finding a new space, although they are still hopeful that the Fairmont could be taken over by new hoteliers.
“We can’t say it will be back next year. It will be back when we can find a proper venue,” Brash said.
“We’re earnestly hoping someone will take over the Fairmont so we can stage it there, because it’s the only place we can stage a ball of that magnitude here in the mountains.”