Operators of an award-winning Sunshine Coast entertainment venue say they have been left devastated after health authorities shut down their live music space over alleged COVID-19 breaches.
NightQuarter’s Michelle Christoe and Ian Van Der Woude said Queensland Health officers accompanied by Queensland Police made a shock appearance at 8.30pm on Friday.
They served notice claiming the venue posed an unacceptable risk to public health given the COVID situation and ordered them to close the live entertainment venue immediately.
The order would be in effect “until the end of the declared public health emergency’’, or until approved controls were put in place.
The direction did not relate to the night-market NightQuarter is known for, but only for the concert space within the precinct.
NightQuarter denied any breach and said the concert in question had been managed in accordance with the venue’s COVID Safe Plan.
Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said the shutdown related to “repeated breaches” of COVID safety rules which the health department had tried to get rectified.
“We have worked closely with the operators of NightQuarter for several months in an attempt to help them continue operating in accordance with the Queensland Public Health Directions,” said Dr Young.
“However, there have been repeated breaches of these directions and several complaints by members of the community in relation to occupant density and physical distancing requirements during events.”
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The standing event had been modified to include fixed allocated seating after consultation with Queensland Health in April and was managed with detailed briefings with staff and security, signage and event management plans.
The operators said NightQuarter, recently awarded Best Regional Venue at the 2021 Queensland Music Awards, employed over 20 local musicians every weekend and had hosted more than 30 events since opening in November 2020.
“The direction was issued without giving the venue the right of reply, with the directive commencing at midday less than 24 hours after the issue of the notice and effectively cancelling a live performance by San Cisco on Saturday,’’ Michelle and Ian said in a joint statement.
“This is devastating news for the music industry that has been doing it tough and a dramatic contrast to the love given to major sporting events hosted at government-owned stadiums.
“The direction was issued in the same week that Queensland hosted the State of Origin with a capacity crowd of 30,000 (bringing extra seats to fill the stadium beyond capacity with an over $8 million dollar taxpayer bill to host the event) and no restrictions on crowd numbers, with crowded bars and walkways where crowds gathered in close proximity.’’
They said that at all times NightQuarter had been operating in accordance with its approved Health Plan.
The venue had clearly communicated to its patrons its COVID-safe requirements to attend live music events.
Dr Young said in a statement the risk of COVID-19 transmission in confined spaces such as stage and dance areas was “far greater” than the risk at open-air venues like sporting stadiums.
“To ensure the safety of their patrons and the broader community, there was no choice but to issue a Public Health Order requiring the main stage area to close,” she said.
“The closure is effective until the end of the declared public health emergency or such a time additional controls, approved by Qld Health, have been implemented to reduce the public health risk.
“The vast majority of businesses across the state have been excellent in complying with the directions we have in place – in fact some have gone above and beyond – and I thank them for keeping their communities safe.”
