The iconic Imperial Hotel in Erskineville has been forced to shut its doors for 72 hours, after a raid by NSW police allegedly found bar staff using illicit drugs before serving alcohol to patrons.
NSW police, together with the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing (OLGR), conducted the raid last weekend, and as a result, issued a short-term closure order, which came into effect at 7pm Friday.
In a statement yesterday, Anthony Keon, director of compliance and enforcement at OLGR, slammed the venue, which was taken over by Spice Group International in April. He told the media:
“A situation where bar staff and patrons are openly consuming drugs at the venue, and where there have been repeated drug and intoxication issues, is completely unacceptable and shows that the venue has been operating with a complete disregard for its obligations and responsibilities. Without significant and material changes to the management and supervision of the venue the likelihood of further illegal activity occurring at the venue is extreme, and the only appropriate action is to close the venue.”
Two bar staff were reportedly charged with drug offences, after police observed them “openly” taking ecstasy before continuing to perform their duties serving drinks to patrons.
Spice Group International founder Murat Kilic relocated his Spice Cellar nightclub to the venue in April to escape from the lockout laws currently in effect in Sydney’s CBD.
Pubs and other venues in the city’s inner west have become noticeably busier and louder since the introduction of the lockout laws, and it doesn’t take a chaos theory genius to tell you why:
The Imperial Hotel has thanked patrons for their support, and advised that it will reopen on Monday June 22.
The venue was made famous after it featured in the 1994 Aussie classic Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert, when drag queens played by Guy Pearce, Hugo Weaving and Terrance Stamp stopped off there on their way to Alice Springs.
The film was recently celebrated by the ABC documentary Between A Frock And A Hard Place.
via NSW Police
Image via Facebook
