Iconic Sydney music venue The Hopetoun Hotel has shut its doors indefinitely after succumbing to pressure from local council. The venue, situated on Bourke St in Surry Hills, is generally considered the last remaining vestige of regular independent music in all of Sydney.
Anna Sokol who, along with longtime Sydney musician Matt Blackman (Tucker Bs, Charge Group, Palace Of Fire), co-owns the mexican restaurant Rider situated upstairs at the venue, claims that she arrived at work yesterday afternoon to find a handmade note sticky-taped to the door. The note was blunt: 'The Hopetown (sic) is closed until further notice'. Sokol claims that despite frequent visits from the police in recent weeks and assurances from management that the venue would continue to run as normal, the couple were not notified about the closure.
"We can't even get in there to get our stuff, we've got perishables and equipment", said Sokol. "No one's returning our calls".
A group email announcing the termination of upcoming shows, was sent out by venue booker Pete Kelly to artists booked to play the Hopetoun in coming weeks. Such acts include touring internationals Tiny Vipers and Casiotone For The Painfully Alone. The email reads:
Hi,
It is with great sadness and regret that i must inform you all that the Hopetoun Hotel will be closing until further notice.
Please read the notice below from Evangelos Patakas (Hopetoun Hotel Owner/Director).
If you had a show booked and you organized your own supports, please forward this email to them asap.
Apologies for the inconvenience this will cause, but this decision is beyond my control.
Apologies for the group mail out.Pete Kelly Hopetoun Booking Agent
To whom it may concern,
Due to circumstances beyond the control of the Hopetoun Hotel we need to carry out significant works associated with Local Council requirements which necessitate the closing of our venue until further notice.
We regret to advise that we must therefore cancel all future shows booked to play at the Hopetoun as from today.
We apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding at this difficult time.Should you have any queries or wish to discuss any matter please contact Anastasia at the following:
Yours sincerely,
EVANGELOS PATAKAS Director
Reports of the small venue being required to increase security as well as perform costly facility upgrades, such as disabled access to downstairs toilets, are being rumoured as the explanation for the sudden closure. Reports that Sydney's culture of greed, corruption, and soulless developing are steadily raping the live music scene are unconfirmed but believed by most.