Much-beleaguered Fringe venue Royal Croquet Club will be able to trade in Victoria Square following a council meeting last night.
Since its first Fringe in 2014, the RCC has faced fire from all sides, with established traders, the public and certain city councillors calling for tighter regulations on the space’s functions and hours. Last night’s meeting was set to decide whether RCC would be
• allowed back in Victoria Square in future
• required to cut back operating hours
• banned from playing music after midnight
• allowed to continue charging an entry fee
• required to reduce capacity of the venue
However, before this was discussed, the venue co-owner (Stuart Duckworth) intervened in proceedings and volunteered to move RCC to another location in 2017. As reported by the ABC, it is understood that the venue may have a restricted capacity in 2016, and that the council and RCC will work together to reduce the venue’s footprint (i.e. THE GRASS, WON’T SOMEBODY PLS THINK OF THE GRASS) in 2016. It is also possible that access – i.e. cover charges – will come under closer scrutiny in 2016, and music will indeed be required to hush down by midnight. The 2am weekend closing time will stand.
Tom Skipper, also co-owner of RCC, later told The Advertiser that RCC reserved the right to reapply for the Vic Square tender if no suitable location could be found by 2017. The tender process is an open call for Registrations Of Interest, which takes place in June. Royal Croquet Club have occupied the space for the past two years. Skipper also pointed out that proposed O-Bahn construction could see other venues – like The Garden and Gluttony – seeking new premises in coming years, which would increase competition for the Square.
In its first year, concerns were raised over the Croquet Club’s operation as ‘bar first, venue second’. Following extensive consultation after their first festival, the RCC made a number of changes to their operations in 2015. To suggest that RCC in 2015 was not first-and-foremost a performance venue is unfair. Engaged to program the venue were two stellar producers – Sasha Zahra (Creative Producer at the Adelaide Fringe for five years) and Louise Clarke (Director, Bamboozled Productions) – who engaged a seriously good program with a number of Fringe 2015’s stand-out shows.
Equally, that’s not to say that other venues such as Tuxedo Cat, Gluttony, The Garden Of Unearthly Delights, Nexus Cabaret and more missed out, because they also had sell-out, five-star performances. The Fringe Festival is great. The acts are great. The whole ~vibe~ is great. And more spaces to stage more diverse works of dance, theatre, puppetry, comedy and live music is surely a good thing.
Heather Croall, new Artistic Director of the Fringe, expressed relief that at least 2016 had been sorted, as artist registrations open on August 3, and venues need to be organised in time.
For any established businesses curious about what it takes to be a Fringe venue, the festival is hosting a Q&A session at The Jade (142-160 Flinders Street) next Tuesday, July 21 at 6.15pm (6.30 start). RSVP here.
In the meantime, Adelaide City better watch its back, because too much doom and gloom could send RCC the way of the Grand Prix …
If @CityofAdelaide don’t want the Royal Croquet Club, the @CityofPAE is happy to help bring the event to the Port. https://t.co/jgKgVENbTr
— Matt Osborn (@MattOsborn) July 14, 2015
RCC faces new Council restrictions, earlier lockouts
Victoria Square activation debate: RCC
Photo
Kristy Delaine | AK Photography
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