Midnight music shutdown mooted for Royal Croquet Club
Adelaide City Council wants to impose strict new rules on Victoria Square Fringe venue the Royal Croquet Club, including a midnight ban on loud music and a 1AM closing time.
South Ward Councillor Alex Antic last night moved a motion asking interim CEO Stephen Hains to negotiate with the venue on the basis that:
- “substantial improvements” are made to the visual aesthetics of the event;
- loud music ceases by midnight each night;
- the venue imposes a midnight lockout on Friday and Saturday nights;
- the venue closes by 1am on Friday and Saturday nights;
- the community would be able to access Victoria Square in the daytime during the Adelaide Fringe.
Antic said the council must heed complaints from businesses around the square, and from management of the Hilton and Adina hotels, that the event was having an impact on trade.
“We want to find a way to give these events in there a long-term base on an equitable basis, but we have heard the complaints, and we have to do something different,” he said.
“I think this motion strikes a reasonable balance.”
However, Central Ward Councillor Megan Hender argued that the motion may cause the event to shut down in Adelaide.
“This is effectively a take it or leave it proposition, and we could be tonight voting to close it,” she said.
“We have no idea whether these restrictions leave them with a sustainable business. We don’t know whether a 12 o’clock closing is a disaster, or whether it’s something that they can easily manage within (their) business model.
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The Royal Croquet Club lights up Victoria Square during the 2014 Fringe.
“It is policy-on-the-run.
“We’re imposing these conditions on one outdoor venue and yet there’s no word in this motion … to impose similar conditions on the other outdoor venues which we have in the city which are much, much bigger venues, which draw many, many more people.”
Lord mayor Martin Haese, deputy lord mayor Houssam Abiad and councillors Alex Antic, Phillip Martin, Natasha Malani, Sandy Wilkinson, Susan Clearihan and Anne Moran supported the motion.
