Hopetoun Hotel Update
News posted Tuesday, September 29 2009 at 01:00 PM.
Related: Hopetoun Hotel.
Sydney’s Hopetoun Hotel will be closed for a minimum of three months, a spokesperson for the Surry Hills venue confirmed today (September 29).
Speaking to M+N following yesterday’s abrupt closure, the spokesperson said that extensive works were required to meet council standards, but that the venue is expected to open again thereafter.
“The works required are to make the pub compliant with fire ordinance and other conditions connected with the operation of the pub as a venue,” she said. “We have had notice for several months, however the work is extensive and cannot be done while the pub is trading.”
In the meantime, all foreseeable events including shows by touring internationals Tiny Vipers and Vivian Girls have been cancelled.
The spokesperson thanked members of the local music community – some of whom started a Facebook group, a Twitter page and a blog – for their support. “We wish to thank the patrons and supporters of the Hopetoun and apologise for any inconvenience caused by this temporary closure,” she said. “We will develop a strategy for dealing with the issues over the coming weeks and will take you up on your offer to help when the time is right.”
The spokesperson was speaking on behalf of Evangelos Patakas, the director of a company which has owned the Hopetoun Hotel since the late 1990s.
UPDATE (September 29, 3.25pm) Council security regulations have also been blamed for the Hopetoun’s temporary closure. Echoing the woes of a number of small venue operators in Melbourne, The Hopetoun has had to ensure that two security guards are present at all shows at considerable cost to the venue. “In a period of about a seven days we were fined a total of about $3000 for not having them on certain nights,” Hopetoun director Anastasia Patakas told M+N.
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yay.
''...but that the venue is expected to open again thereafter.''
that sure is good to hear!
great news. fingers crossed eh
bring back the downstairs cocktail bar too!
and then build a bowling alley on top/underground. that's what you call a venue!
kula.shaker to launch the reopening!
ahh, good. storm in a teacup? change of mind? attempt to shut people up and let the owners make their own decision?
vivian girls has moved to hellen rose..
uh i've heard that if it does reopen it won't be returning to the same hoey we know and love.
Probably should have planned the closure all a bit better if they had several months' notice, wouldn't you think?
I'm betting they were issued with a Fire Safety Order and they ignored it for a while, and then somebody from Council made a fuss and started enforcing it.
Probably should have planned the closure all a bit better if they had several months' notice, wouldn't you think?
Agreed. I would have thought they're coming into a very busy part of the year for live music...
So they knew this for months and didn't tell anyone, not even the staff apparently???... Look, I agree that Sydney can't afford to lose any more music venues and the Hoey is no exception - it's an institution. But when they say “We will develop a strategy for dealing with the issues over the coming weeks”. It begs the question: Why didn't you act on this months ago when you knew about it? And why f*** your own staff over by at least giving them some notice that this would be happening...
So is Rider still open in the meantime?
People make mistakes, K-dog
I guess its a matter of them being outside the regs for a long time without being called on it so when the __ hit the _ it was out of the blue.
What does this all mean for the bands entered in the Incentive?
Obviously they arnt gonna stay open for their staff if someone from councel says we are going to fine you 20 grand if ur opperating without correct bullshit are they dick munchers.
I realise people make mistakes - but that's basic business. You have to comply with this stuff. I'm by no means supporting the council on this - They're a bunch of twunts. But if the owners had have made this known a bit earlier, plenty of people would have come forward to help sort this out before the situation got as bad as it did....
Yeah that's true.
Tiny Vipers show (with Rand and Holland, Guy Blackman and Seaworthy) moved to BJB Studios performance space, in Surry Hills. Phew!
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Is the Beresford replacing the hoey? I miss this joint, walked past there today, felt pangs of nostalgia. Sydney ain't what it used to be. Funny nobody complains about the sound pokies make, or the eyesore carpet that furnishes pokie laden establishments.
I complain about the pokies.
i agree - sydney's better than ever!
the Hoey may be gone but the Lansdowne was so crowded last Friday night for The Laurels there were people queuing up outside who couldn't get in - if this is any indicator of the live scene in Sydney, at least with The Lansdowne we're in good hands!
yeah that was great to see it so packed columbo - folks who would know said it felt like it did in '94
once again, much respect for the rad schooey feedback
no offence to the lovely Laurels, but . .
god help us!
Are the shows still always free at the Lansdowne?
dunno what you mean dirtylover :)
i reckon that place rules.
I find the Landsdowne pretty damn annoying to watch bands in, just doesn't really work in my opinion. If they got rid of the pokies they might be onto something, but as it is there just isn't really the space for it, you would think they'd move things around a bit when bands play....
Also if you have ever played there you will know that getting payed (peanuts) is a fuckin ordeal.
Mule, things have changed at the Lansdowne. New booker has shaken things up IMO. I've had a bunch of shows there lately and not had any issues.
You don't get a rider anymore, but the money has improved also.
My biggest problem with the Lansdowne is the pool table. The place was packed on Friday but there were still berks trying to play pool all fucking night. They were removing furniture as the place got more crowded, why not stop the use of the pool table?
I hear there may be come movement on the Hopetoun sometime soon.
if it's any help, i spoke to the owner of the Lansdowne when we played there a couple of months back and he said he was planning to move the pokies out the back (down the hall, past the Gents & out into the back area which is currently just junk/storage), and then they'll knock down the wall to the current pokie area and make it all band room again kinda like the old days.
also @iamthewalrus I agree re: the pool table. at least the Hoey had it all the way up the back, as did the Annandale back in the day.
Another month, another Hoey rumour. This time it's that the people behind The Flinders and Abercrombie have bought it and plan to reopen it as a live music venue.
interesting, they also have the norfolk and the carrington, all have had food based makeovers. Maybe the hoey's music history will make it different.
Second anniversary of it's closing today.
:(
:((
man that's gone fast
::((