It’s hard to write this without getting emosh.
Just three months after Sydney nightlife institution The Spice Cellar moved from its CBD location to the basement of Erskineville’s Imperial Hotel, we’re sad to report that it’s shutting up shop.
In a press release sent out this afternoon, the Spice Cellar team explained that they were forced to make the “difficult and heartbreaking decision” to cease operating as a weekly club due to the “extreme duress” placed on it, and other late night venues, by the city’s tough (and unpopular) lockout laws.
They also blamed “antisocial behaviour” as a larger issue – a reference to frequent clashes between partygoers and the Imperial’s LGBTQI crowd.
A sign warning patrons not to be an “asshole” was put up at the front of the hotel last month – “If you are here,” it read, “you are not a transphobe; you are not a homophobe; you are not a misogynist; you are not an asshole” – but the Newtown police were still a regular fixture at TSC.
Here’s the full spiel:
“The Spice Cellar has taken the difficult and heartbreaking decision to cease operating as a weekly night clubbing destination in the basement of the Imperial Hotel.
Thank you to all who have supported the Spice Cellar over the past 4 years. It has been an institution for noteworthy events and played an integral part in Sydney nightlife and the growth of underground music, showcasing local artists in conjunction with high profile international guests. The likes of Nina Kraviz, Joris Voorn, Jamie Jones, Guy Gerber, Adam Beyer, Disclosure, Claude Von Stroke, Marcel Dettman, Soul Clap and more.
The current climate for late night entertainment in Sydney has been put under extreme duress. The misconception and lack of understanding towards late night culture, combined with the introduction of 1:30am lockout laws has seen many venues close over the past year, putting a grave future in place for Sydney’s late night entertainment industry. Small business owners lack influence and do not have a voice. The overarching agenda by conservative groups for Sydney is to remove late night culture rather than acknowledge it as a core part of the cultural fabric that enriches a city. Lockout laws are not the way forward; restricting people’s civil liberties and disadvantaging industry causes a negative carry on effect to culture, jobs, tourism, entertainment to name a few.
Unfortunately there is an ongoing problem with drinking culture, antisocial behaviour, and violence in NSW. Whilst we appreciate that the NSW government is trying to reduce alcohol related violence and anti-social behaviour, introducing lockout laws does not solve the problem. Venues operating dance clubs or late trading venues after midnight are perceived to be the problem, but incidents occur at all times of the day. The sad truth is the minority of bad eggs ruin it for the majority of people doing the right thing. We have become a society where people are becoming less and less responsible for their own actions. Who is really at fault for bad behaviour? Is it the venue that serves the alcohol, the promoter who organises the event, the alcohol companies who produce the alcohol OR is it the individual?
Our ethos and philosophy is to celebrate culture, nurture community and embrace diversity through hospitality, arts and entertainment.”
The team signed off by asking devo Spice Temple devotees to join the “revolution” to save Sydney’s nightlife via Facebook campaign Stop The Music, which you can read up on here.
In a show of solidarity, organisers of weekly Friday night party Meanwhile also announced it will cease operations at The Imperial, effective immediately.
The hotel’s public bar and cabaret lounge will continue to operate as normal, with the basement put up for event hire.
THE SPICE CELLAR: GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN.
