DCM finds a loophole
Rogue Oxford St nightclub DCM has thwarted a court order to shut at midnight by moving into a venue with longer trading hours closer to Taylor Square.
DCM reopened on Friday night at Havana, next to the Stonewall Hotel, a move that has managers of the gay venue concerned for patron safety.
There were large numbers of police in the area on Friday and Saturday night, which is a good thing, but we’re still concerned, a spokeswoman from Stonewall said.
But the City of Sydney was still pleased with the Land and Environment Court ruling, because it placed all venues on notice for breaches of the City’s new Late Night Trading Premises controls.
DCM’s operators will still have to comply with the controls at the new location at 196 Oxford St, which has a permanent 3am licence.
The court judgment is vindication of the City’s commitment to balancing the needs of residents and the night-time economy of our city, acting City CEO Garry Harding said.
It reaffirms that late trading hours are a privilege for those premises that have shown ongoing good management practices and not a right.
During the two-year Land and Environment Court battle to end DCM’s trial 24-hour trading licence, police accused the operator of ignoring drug and alcohol abuse, allowing excessive crowding on Oxford St with poor security, and failing to cooperate with the local Liquor Accord.
Ongoing police reports showed the operators had not cleaned up their act, Sergeant Peter Mort told the court earlier this year, and represented major public safety issues. He added that two empty beer bottles were thrown at him during his last search of the premises.
Until the management of this hotel show an ongoing level of compliance over a reasonable period of time then I would respectfully submit that the development consent trading hours are reviewed and strong consideration be made for the trading hours to be reverted to standard trading hours for hotels, Mort wrote in his submission.
Last week commissioner Jan Murrell, who heard the case against DCM, agreed that the venue showed little commitment to working with the local community and potentially endangering lives cannot be tolerated.
But DCM has been advising its patrons that nothing will change at the new venue.
Please do not stress everyone, operations will continue exactly as per usual, same security guards, same bar staff, even same door girl, DCM posted on its website last week.
A spokeswoman for Xclusive Productionz, which operates DCM’s Friday night events, told Sydney Star Observer the move was to allow acoustic renovations at the original venue.
Its website recently advertised approaching 100,000 patrons to celebrate the second anniversary of the Chocolate City event on Fridays. However, the venue’s last valid entertainment licence would only have allowed a total of 34,320 patrons during those nights over two years.
most of ya’ll dont know nothing about the truth of anything. you write up about what you dont know and what you read in the papers. reading most of your comments is quite a big joke cause you write it like its the truth. halarious.
I did work at DCM for a number of years, & in attending that venue, never ever saw a problem outside the place other than lots of people were lining up patiently to get a ticket to get in. There wasnt any dramas with noise agro or abuse to walking by patrons.
I havn’t dont work their for years, but i do know the guys that had it then TB & BB, were nothing short of great guys who respected me, their employees & their patrons.
If their was one negative thing i would comment on would be, one stupid “little” bouncer outside with a hot head backed up by quite large bouncers, who couldn’t keep his mouth shut, he was a dead set flip, but that was it.
Great place, especially on foam dancing nights, lol.
Those were the days, Rupaul etc etc, lolol.
agreed.
I have been going dcm’s nearly every saturday night for the past 3 years. I havnt seen or heard about these dramas that i read in these comments. DCM on a saturday night may get over crowed or loud but its only loud because its one of the best nrg clubs in sydney, if you have been going dcm on saturday nights reguarly you would know how great the atmosphere is on a saturday night at DCM/UN sydney. I dont believe it has so much trouble but in every club there is 1 or 2 idioits who spoil it for the rest. And my mates girlfriend had a friend she use to bring with her to dcm’s. He was a homosexual, i was alrite with it, good bloke he didnt even seem homosexual and he got along with people quite well. Hopefully DCM/UN sydney gets renovated and comes back home soon. because DCM is the place to be on a saturday night !!
As a regular patron of dcms, for over 2 years on saturday nights i find this ludicrous… You are generalising and your statements are based on nothing but crap.
I have seen ALOT of violence around oxford st and to be honest hardly any of it had anything to do with dcms the club or its patrons.
and in relation to gay people on oxford st.. I have no issue with them.. And at least 10 times int he last 2 years i have had gay men grab my ass etc.. This is sexual harrasment and i have not seen one staright guy do this to a girl.. So alot of the issues are gay based
wow what a history lesson yeh going back 10 years DCM was one of the o best clubs…the owners and security guards were very picky about who they let in these days anything and anyone goes, yeh sure it gets packed but it has a bad name now its nothing but a facade for the big scary men that are hiding behind it who need to clean there money in some way so they used DCM and other well known clubs which have had a number of drive by shootings and bashings occur. Its about time that something is coming out of this cause there is no more fun when we wanna have a good night out only ppl wanting territory and stand overs losers go get normal jobs instead of hiding behind gangs and groups and give DCM to back to the TRUE part goers.
Also, if we assume that DCM was once (albeit very briefly, in my eyes) a gay club that eventually went bad when a low rent straight crowd went in, well I hope ARQ is paying attention and doesn’t let its club go too far down the same road. It’s not unreasonable to say that the same thing could happen there..
There was a time (mid 90s) when council wouldn’t let any video game arcades (as they were called in the mid 90s) open up on Oxford St because they realised the potential for conflict. It seems at some stage after that they threw the rulebook out the window and went back to the old “anything goes” capitalist-approach. McDonalds shut down on Oxford Street because of the activist approach of the local community, and I think if you are going to target DCM you also have to consider the crowd that Hungry Jacks brings into the area. I was waiting to get into a party in the apartment block behind Hungry Jacks a few Saturdays ago and had to endure two suburban guys carrying on as they scoffed their food and then just dumped the remains in the kerb, before they sped off. Come, use and abuse. Is that what we want for our area?
As an Asian gay guy who goes to dcm on fridays, to an event called “Chocolate City” which is predominantly a straight Asian crowd i can safely say that most keep to themselves. My two gay Asian friends have kissed in there and from personal experience there was no conflict. Though i must say Saturday nights at dcms is a bit of a worry..
Andrew -“ here, here! Couldn’t have said it better myself! (I really couldn’t lol)
Oh by the way, Michael Ibrahim was the brother of UN/DCM’s club promoter in 2006 and the other men involved in the killing were their cousins.
DCM supporter, what about the DCM bouncer Michael Ibrahim who ambushed and stabbed Fat Pizza actor and comedian George Nassaur and killed his brother? What about the three men who were shot inside the venue? What about Police putting the club on a bikie gang watch list? DCM cannot control the people who “attend” Oxford Street but they can certainly control who they employ, who they let into the club, and the clientele they market themselves to. DCM should have taken this opportunity to move away from the area and make a fresh start. That they instead decided to plonk themselves next to one of the busiest gay venues in Sydney after all the complaints about homophobic patrons shows how much they care about the rest of the community.
It looks at this stage like DCM is only “promoters” of Friday night at Havana – it’s worth pausing at this stage to think that is actually a much smaller act than had they bought and taken over the venue.
My guess is that it would only take one gay bashing (and I hope it doesn’t happen) outside Havana/Stonewall for the DCM/Havana pile of cards to fall in their face.
If we want to talk about history, let’s not forget that the DCM hotel for the past 4-5 years is the official sponsor for the Diva Awards and donate a large amount of money towards ACON and has held the official after parties for the Diva Awards at their venue, which has been a huge success!
DCM has always welcomed gay & lesbian patrons for the past 18 years.
DCM also contribute to numerous other charities (e.g. Starlight Foundation, etc).
DCM cannot control the people who attend Oxford Street. It is very hard to discriminate against the sexuality of patrons entering a licenced premises.
Welcome to the new millenium!
??? Felix I am sorry to say your the one that needs the history lesson ! DCM was originally a gay club, DCM when opened was owned by Tim Berry that still currently owns the shift and for over 7 years aimed itself towards the gay community quite succesfully without any dramas and even when patronage turned towards being straight, many gays and drags contunued to attend this fabulous venue. It was not until Tim sold the venue to the current owners that the patrons became what it is today !!!
DCM supporter – who you kidding?
There’s no slander in truth you fool … and you seem to forget Oxford St was a gay precinct until DCM and the string of other str8 clubs moved in and devalued the strip ..
Sounds like you need a history lesson.
Chris! I never give these bludgers my hard earned money! This kid will only end up in Prison eventually then he will be set upon by much more dangerous men.
Re: article
I wouldn’t call it a loophole I would call it DCM’s trying not to turf young people out of their job.
This article is complete slander, and totally untrue.
I understand that the gays wish to feel safe, and I think that this is very important.
However I do not think turning Oxford St to an all gay district would help any either.
As someone who lives near Oxford St. I actually find that there is just as much if not more questionable behavior out of the gay community rather than the opposite.
For me it is important that everyone feels safe and happy when enjoying a night out in the city, I do not believe slanderous articles are a way to strive towards this.
It’s rare for the Land and Environment Court works in favour of the local community. It took years, an enormous amount of man power and ridiculous levels of violence to have this venue (DCM)closed down. In fact, the council and the police should have the powers to close down rogue venues without having to jump through all the hoops to the Land and Environment Court. The system rarely works and in a sense it doesn’t as DCM found a loop hole.
An order should be applicable on the actual company, owners and licensee and not on the physical location the venue or buying someone’s license.
If the Sydney council and the NSW Government were serious about violence in all its -œentertainment precincts (don’t you love a euphemism for small area full of beer barns where the public goes out to get pissed and out of it!!!), they would review the licensing laws and the powers of shut down rogue venues easily.
In all of Europe, USA and Canada -“ the licensing laws are not as liberal as in Australia, 24/7 rarely exist and the authorities have actual powers. Overseas rogue bars/clubs can be shut down quicker than the next bashing on Oxford Street.
Clover -“ heres yours real to do list:
Night clubs are not pubs and visa versa. So why is there no distinction between the two and how these venues trade?
24/7 licensing has resulted in epidemic levels of alcohol related street violence. Get rid of it.
Stop of new beer barns.
And acquire great direct powers to close down rogue venues which are proven dangerous to the public.
Finally: The Anti-homophobia Free Zone signs to be installed on Oxford Street are a nice idea but it won’t stop the bashings. Most people know it’s wrong. Hey maybe ACON can distribute T shirts for Gays and Lesbians to wear with a slogan: -œI’m Gay and your not allow the touch me -“ IT’S THE LAW. Well drrrrrrrrrrr-¦-¦.Do you think bashers or people under the influence are going to care?!!!!
It’s the social environment, the greater distribution of liquor based businesses and the licensing laws that have to be addressed.
God I enjoyed that rant. Cheers.
PS. Oxford street died years ago – go inner West. Open the Imperial Hotel now and save yourselves from Oxford Street.
The Land and Environment Court ruling shows the system can work. It’s a vindication for all of those people and organisations that continued to file their complaints against that rogue nightclub and its patrons. It remains to be seen how life on the strip will be affected by DCM moving to its new home at Havana. But locals, the council and the police must be vigilant. If the anti-social behaviour follows the club to its new home, file the complaint. Don’t become dispondent. In the end, the pen can be mightier than the sword.
I witnessed a guy being bashed outside The Midnight Shift yesterday afternoon around 300 pm. In an unprovoked attack a guy talking on his mobile phone was set upon by a ‘bogan ‘ youth ( dressed in the cheap trackky pants flannel shirt etc )He bashed the victim many times around the head while repeatedly calling him a faggot .This time , in the spirit of ‘we have had enough and we are not going to take it any more “a number of other pedestrians came to the rescue of the victim , and surrounded the basher , who continued to taunt everyone with ‘ suck my dick faggots ‘.The little creep attempted to flee when the police arrived but was chased down by a number of gay guys and apprehended. The Victim ( a straight guy ) was badly bruised with a black eye.The attacker I recognised as one of the street kids who make their way down to Oxford St on a daily basis from
the Oasis youth refuge with their skanky girlfriend to beg from and harass the locals. Do not give these people money !!it only encourages them to come to Oxford St.Once again no beat police in sight !! They did come quickly when called however. I support HOMOPOBIA FREE ZONE signage .Good on everyone who came to the rescue and support of the victim.