The closure of the Newtown Hotel due to a lease dispute has sent shockwaves through Sydney's LGBT community and sparked outpourings of grief at the loss of the iconic gay and performing arts venue in Sydney's inner-west. Staff were forcibly shut out of the premises on Saturday 3 November. The locks were changed and security guards were posted at the venue. A sign was posted stating simply: ‘Closed until further notice'. Resident DJ and long-time Newtown resident, Seymour Butz, told SX magazine the closure was “devastatingly sad” because “there are so few places that we can gather as homos and lesbians. “It wasn't like a sick horse that we had to put down,” he said. “It was still totally vibrant, dynamic and heavily patronised. “I'm bitterly disappointed at losing another space.” Greg Khoury, Chairman of the Newtown Entertainment Precinct Association, said the Hotel's closure was a blow to Newtown's business environment. “It certainly doesn't help. I think anything like this, by definition, is not a good thing, and the Newtown Hotel was seminal.” Khoury also said its closure would have an impact on the broader arts and entertainment industries. “Apart from being a hotel, [the Newtown hotel has] been iconic in shaping people's careers, providing a showcase and opportunity, particularly for gay artists,” he said. Shortly after its closure, a makeshift memorial was created as flowers and farewell notes began to accumulate on the venue's footpath. David McHugh, Managing Director of McHugh Holdings, the group which owns the Newtown Hotel, says the closure was the result of a dispute regarding lease agreements. The matter has now been referred to the courts. McHugh said it could take anywhere from a month or up to two years to find a resolution.
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Tuesday, 13th November 2007 - 8:55am