In news that’s only going to be greeted happily by about one silly bloke, the fight to save Melbourne’s iconic Palace Theatre has been officially, and sadly, lost. The venue, a mainstay of live music in the city that has been in operation in one form or another for over 150 years, will cease operations on May 31st of this year. Despite spirited objection from the public and numerous requests to extend the lease, the buildings owners, Jinshan Investments, have given the order for the building to cease operations as a live music venue in preparation for the site’s redevelopment.
What becomes of the venue still remains to be seen. Jinshan’s controversial plan to level the theatre and build a $180 million hotel and apartment complex in its place has been met with staunch opposition from the National Trust and from State and local Government, partly because, given the building’s age, grounds for heritage listing (which currently only protect the facades of Melbourne CBD buildings, and not their insides) could be an issue. The other problem being that its original design took the form of a giant glass monolith that put its fist right in the face of the nearby State Parliament building, pleasing no one with a tie and the ability to okay these kinds of things.
The move follows similar hotel developments on former iconic Melbourne entertainment property, with the Russell Street Greater Union cinema closing down to make way for a hotel and apartment complex, throwing the Melbourne International Film Festival into crisis mode after losing its central and most-used theatre.
But it’s not all doom and gloom for Melbourne’s music business, however. Nearby city venue Billboards has been taken over by parent company Corner Presents, who also operate The Corner and the Northcote Social Club, as well as the Newtown Social Club in Sydney. The venue has been re-branded as 170 Russell and will continue the vitally important business of melting people’s faces off.
Better stock up on your earplugs, Mark Edmonds.
