Archway Theatre Ordered Out of Archway

BY RYAN QUINN
An Annandale art studio and theatre will be forced to vacate its unique archway location after struggles with the City of Sydney Council.
As previously reported by City Hub, The Archway 1 Theatre Company and Coffee Co. in Annandale was marked for replacement by a skatepark in the Johnstons Creek Parklands Master Plan 2013.
Now, following a City of Sydney Council meeting on Monday, October 26, the decision has been finalised.
According to a City of Sydney spokesperson, the 2013 Master Plan was developed before the theatre was operating and was therefore offered a short term lease in the meantime.
However, the theatre’s co-founders, Rachel Jordan and Stefan von Reiche claim that they have actually occupied the space since 2003.
City Hub also understands that the theatre and coffee shop received an order to stop operating in September this year, due to consent issues.
“No development consent has been sought nor given for the current use of the premises for theatrical purposes with an associated ticket sales box office and coffee shop,” the notice said.
Prior to the Archway 1 Theatre Company and Coffee Co. opening in 2012, it had been used as an art space by Ms Jordan and Mr von Reiche since 2005 with no trouble.
Mr von Reiche told City Hub earlier this month that there was an understanding that consent was received for an art performance space with associated use.
“From our understanding when we sat down with them three years ago, we asked if we could use it as a theatre space and if we could serve our patrons drinks,” he said.
“The council said ‘sure, go ahead and do that’. But it was all verbal, it wasn’t in writing. So we were under the impression that we were able to do what we were doing.”
Mr von Reiche said that the consent issue was only brought to the council’s attention when a theatre patron complained that the strictly-vegan coffee shop did not serve dairy.
The theatre had also received a threat of closure when it first began operating, according to Mr von Reiche, who said that council supported the theatre space.
“I’m not wanting to speak badly about council because initially [City of Sydney Lord Mayor] Clover Moore herself was very supportive of what we were doing. She encouraged the council to keep us here,” he said.
Council put forward the motion to relocate the theatre unanimously on Monday, with councillors expressing sadness that they would have to be moved.
City of Sydney CEO Monica Barone also highlighted at the meeting that the site is uncertified in accordance with standard fire codes.
“Obviously we don’t want to throw them out, but we want to make sure what they’re doing is safe,” Ms Barone said.
She also said at an environment committee meeting on Monday October 19 that the threat of closure stems from local residents wanting the arches opened up ten years ago.
“It’s not a question of appreciation, it’s a question of having the arches open,” she told the committee.
However, a petition to save the attached Archway 1 Theatre Company and Coffee Co. had received 795 signatures in support over the past three months.
Ms Jordan told City Hub that the area would be at a loss without them.
“There’s nothing around the area like us, and there’s probably nothing in the inner west that caters to such a large demographic like we do. I mean we cater from ages three to 80,” she said.
“We’re representing the community’s genuine need for theatre and cultural space really. We use the space for photography, art exhibitions, art classes, acting classes. It’s more like a multi-use training facility.”
“It’s kind of like being asked to move out when you don’t want to move out, and your neighbours don’t want you to move.”
City of Sydney Greens Councillor Irene Doutney had also put out a petition of her own, which received 1,080 signatures in support, but voted in council to relocate the business.
“I do want to help them relocate and to keep them there a little longer so that they have time to organise themselves,” Clr Doutney said.
The theatre and City of Sydney had also received numerous letters during the consultation period to support the petition, including one from Sydney University Architectural Design Tutor Sarah Breen Lovett.
“Their current tenancy at Archway 1 supports Sydney’s grass roots arts scene, in exactly the same way that City of Sydney Council aims to cultivate with its Arts Planning Policies,” she said in a 2012 letter to the City during community consultation.
She also said that the space provides “the arts community, and broader Sydney community with a unique space to network, exhibit and create within the arts”.
It is yet to be decided where the theatre will be moved to.