Xchange to remain gay

New licensees of the Xchange Hotel have announced the nightspot will remain a gay venue.

The Commercial Rd gay pub and club closed its doors in June after 25 years, but will re-open to the public on Saturday, July 23 under its new name, DnM.

New licensees, partners, Michael and Daniel (who requested their surnames not be used) told the Star Observer the venue will change its look and open its doors to everyone including hosting regular straight and lesbian nights.

“It will mainly be focused on the gay community but we’re going to do a lot to get the straight punters in here as well,” Michael said.

A nightclub promoter for around 12 years, Michael has run gay events in Sydney and Western Sydney, including the Venus Room in Kings Cross.

“I wanted to get into my own club, this became available, I saw the potential and what could be done with the place,” he said.

“But we’re going to promote it a lot differently to how it was promoted.. things seemed to be stuck in 1980s time warp.”

Michael said although he faces a quick turnaround, the venue will have an ‘up market’ make-over and put a focus on friendly bar service.

“I think its been a lot of the same old faces and not much has been changed, we’re going to change everything around, we’ll have a new look, we’ll have fresh new bar staff… we’re trying to have something different to attract everybody,” he said.

The new look Xchange will host drag shows in the main bar on Mondays, hold a straight night aimed at the Asian community on Tuesdays, a university queer night on Wednesday, a lesbian night on Thursdays, and drag shows on Saturday night in the front bar, and DJs in the nightclub area. Sundays will be an industry night.