Council gets tough on Gaff

Sydney City Council is contemplating enforcing a range of restrictions on Darlinghurst’s Gaff nightclub following reports of alcohol-related violence in the area.
The suggested measures have arisen as the Oxford Street backpackers’ bar takes on the Council in the Land and Environment Court for approval to increase its floor space by 60 per cent.
Violence flowing down Riley Street was shown in a report by A Current Affair last month, prompting the City of Sydney Council to take action.
The video showed revellers damaging property and vehicles, urinating and brawling with each other.
Council has proposed the erection of noise barriers and cutting trading hours, and reviewing the venue’s outdoor seating arrangements to control the behaviour of patrons.
A patrol from midnight to 6am in the immediate area has also been suggested.
Christine Byrne of Hyde Park Community voice said there had been a noticeable increase in Gaff patrons gathering in neighbouring streets.
“They have clearly been identified as Gaff patrons by the residents in those areas because these people talk about going to the Gaff and coming from the Gaff and how cheap the grog is,” she said.
“There are quite a lot of people till all hours of the morning.
City of Sydney Councillor Chris Harris said the nature of the area itself called for trouble.
“The problem is there’s too large a concentration of late night premises in the area serving alcohol with no regard to responsible service of alcohol laws,” said Cr Harris.
But he said the council was limited in what it could do about violence in the short term.
“We’ve got limited powers here, we can approve the development applications but in terms of enforcement that’s really a police matter.”

The owner of the Gaff declined to comment.

by Annette Lin