K Dilkington

PS - and it's about time the record labels in this country put in for something around here. They've made their money from many artists who got started and developed their sound at the Hoey...

That is all.

Kudos Captain Fez, Kudos.

I absolutley agree. The hopetoun should be making money and getting enough people through the door on reputation alone. This story is across many news sites and a large number of people have expressed disappointment. Therefore, with the status they enjoy among Sydney-siders, it's clear that there was fault at a managent level. It doesn't matter how much you love the place, or how many times the Publican remembered your name, you need to look at this from a sensible angle and not base your arguements on your nostalgic views of the place.

Loz, you keep saying to me it ain't as easy as you think like I'm a half wit, but I actually do know something about the topic - hence why I'm weighing in on the conversation/comments. Did I ever say they weren't doing enough to support live music? No. I would never say that because I know for a fact that that is/was their top priority. I'm just saying the situation could have been handled a lot better... I'm not looking to pick fights or seem like an twunty armchair philosopher.

Judy Dickslap wins....

Yeah I fucking will tell em what for. Look, you obviously have strong ties with the place Loz. That's great - I really like it too and don't want to see it go. I'd just like to see the place doing well.

I'm not being cynical and I know it's not easy to turn a place around. Believe me I KNOW that much. But for a place like the Hopetoun, that has iconic status, it's unacceptable. Sure we don't know everything (and EFF WHY EYE Loz Vegas, Not all my information has come from press) - but let's face it, this entire situation could have been avoided with a bit more planning and a little less ignoring of the law. Like I said before, I don't support the council for one second in closing the place down. But being told that something has to be done and ignoring it for months without telling anyone is just plain **ing stupid. It really is. .

I agree, the best place to start fixing the problem though is helping out the staff who have been truly f***ed over by this.

Then they should have addressed it earlier. Why not put on some Hoey benefit gigs to keep the place alive???... Plenty of people would have gone and many more would have pledged funds. The support is there. The organisation is not.

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....

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...