Brisbanes Historic Beat Megaclub Building Up For Sale Again

Brisbanes Historic Beat Megaclub Building Up For Sale Again

Brisbane’s iconic LGBTQIA+ venue, The Beat Megaclub, faces an uncertain future as its home in Fortitude Valley goes up for sale once again.

The historic property, located at 669-683 Ann Street, has been the beating heart of Brisbane’s queer nightlife for over four decades, offering a safe space for revelry, connection, and community celebration.

Built in the 1920s, the multi-title property stretches across 1,600 square metres of club space and sits on 1,213 square metres of land.

With a 40-metre frontage on bustling Ann Street, it’s a prime real estate opportunity in one of Brisbane’s most vibrant queer entertainment districts.

The listing for the three-title property has been made by local agency Your Commercial, which describes it as a “rare investment and future development opportunity.”

For now, the sale will not impact the club’s operations as it will continue to trade and operate as normal with only the building and not the business itself up for sale.

The Beat has a long-term commercial lease, providing stability for the venue as potential buyers weigh the property’s future, so whilst there is no need to assume anything will change with the venue should it sell, there is still uncertainty for the long term future of the venue.

The Beat Megaclub

The Beat’s origins date back to 1983 when it opened as the Cockatoo Club.

Over the decades, the venue transformed under various ownerships into the multi-faceted megaclub it is today, featuring eight bars, five nightclubs, and three beer gardens. The venue has served as a safe and inclusive space to many over the decades of operations and is an iconic part of the LGBTQIA+ nightlife in Fortitude Valley.

Until recent years the venue had been owned and operated by John Hannay, a key figure in Brisbane’s nightlife for decades.

After his passing in 2019, Hannay’s nephew Ross took over management, with the venue recently celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2023.

While the property last went on the market in 2021, it remains to be seen if this latest listing will result in a change of ownership.

The Beat has weathered decades of social change and economic challenges, standing as a steadfast sanctuary for Brisbane’s LGBTQIA+ population.

 

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