Arts Factory produces victory
Languishing development applications from the Oxford Arts Factory have finally been approved. At the City of Sydney Council meeting on Monday 18 October, both DAs passed unanimously. Prior to this, City of Sydney Council’s red tape was once again threatening to entangle our beleaguered live music scene.
The two applications from Arts factory to extend its day and night trading permits were initially earmarked for rejection. Council believed the application was asking for considerably more than what had been discussed in initial meetings and noise complaints from local residents did not aid the Factory’s cause.
If Council had rejected the application this would have placed a huge financial burden upon the Arts Factory and impeded its capacity to host a cultural hub. Currently the venue cannot operate beyond the capacity of an art gallery during daytime trading hours and must commit to lodging costly DAs on an annual basis applying for an extension of evening trading hours. Council is supposed to increase the periods which a late trading license covers until a five-year license is granted. Thus far, the OAF has not been so fortunate in their council dealings.
Last week’s meeting of Council’s Planning, Development and Transport Committee meeting broke with the expected bureaucratic tone as an impassioned plea for recognising the cultural significance of the OAF was delivered by Mark Gerber, the Factory boss.
The DA for daytime trading requested the venue be allowed to present live music between 11am and 6pm. The OAF’s management have implied this extension of their license would primarily be used to provide free, open-age gigs which are not commercially viable during evening trading hours.
There is speculation the council was reluctant to approve the DA as they feared the daytime trading license would be used to operate a dayclub rather than a live music venue. However the venue’s management insisted this is not true.
Council red tape has consistently emerged as the culprit hindering live music in Sydney. In September last year the Hopetoun Hotel fell victim as the costs associated with Council regulations became overbearing. The Annandale Hotel is now facing similar problems.
While this has angered Australian lovers of live music, Mark Gerber does not place all the blame with Council.
“’If all the people that complained about the Hoey [closing] actually went to see a band and bought a beer, it would not have closed down,” Gerber says.
”Live music needs live audiences; audiences that drink a couple of beers while seeing the talent that Australia has to offer. Those couple of beers might allow venues the funds to stay up to date with new regulations governing places of public entertainment.”
by Marcus Coombes
