Broadbeach dining hub under siege by a handful of angry residents
Venue operators on a Broadbeach dining strip fear their businesses will go under if a barrage of noise complaints continue.
The operators say a handful of serial complainants are threatening their livelihoods.
The venues on the Surf Parade strip on the Gold Coast are already operating under reduced hours, have cut live entertainment and outlaid tens of thousands of dollars for soundproofing after noise complaints were made to the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR).
Dan Duncan who owns the Chameleon Lounge Bar said the complaints are from no more than four or five people but are having a financial impact.
“It just sucks,” Duncan told the Gold Coast Bulletin
“As owners, we spend so much. I spent close to $1 million setting up Chameleon. And I’ve had to reduce, reduce, reduce.
“I had a licence until 1am and because of the constant badgering I had to reduce it, which meant obviously loss of revenue.
“We had shows at 10.30, 11.30 at night but because of residents saying that they could hear music even though it wasn’t loud and complaining about people out on the street late at night, we had to reduce shows. So, our last show is at 9.30. And we close our door so no sound goes out, and then people leave by 10 or 10.30.”
Duncan has spent $30,000 on soundproofing measures; however, it seems the venue is being badgered with complainant lodged complaints for seven days in a week when Chameleon is open for just five.
The Vault was forced to pay a $700 fine after objections to staff serenading guests.
Chef David De Vito has owned The Vault for just seven months.
“I can’t handle this constant (complaining), and they’re legally in their right to do so,” he said.
“We’ve added so much value to the area, bringing tourism to the area, bringing following to the area. It’s a bitter pill to swallow”.
Mr De Vito said he never expected his singing would be the source of angst.
Clearly to residents, De Vito is not ‘the voice’.
“We would have thought we would get the same result as every other place we’ve been – it would be open arms, thank you for coming,” he said.
“But it (the complaints) is making it extremely stressful”.
OLGR investigators have measured decibel levels in several venues, with Duncan saying that audience clapping could breach levels.
“If someone walks in who looks like they might be from OLGR you go into panic mode. It’s horrible,” he said. “It makes you not want to be in hospitality.”
The Bulletin sent questions to the OLGR but is yet to receive a response.
Den Devine owner Daniel Eagles said the worst complaints come from those who have only just moved into the area.
“We received a lifestyle complaint from a resident who has to be up at 3am, but moved into the area after we were opened. So why that’s my problem, I don’t know,” he said.
“We’ve received a couple of complaints (from the person), never a breach.
“Even so, that one complaint just stresses the hell out of you. You’ve got so much to worry about in this business, there are so many moving parts.”
After COVID, the complaints are the last thing owners need, especially after being told they are essential to economic recovery and tourism.
Steve De Maio, Group General Manager for the Genari Group told The Bulletin, “We all struggled to get out of Covid, we’re all struggling to find staff, and we really want to make the Gold Coast the capital of tourism in Australia.
“The government keeps telling us that we are, (Mayor) Tom Tate says we are, and the Premier says we are, and we tell our punters we are, but you really can’t be a centre of tourism if you’re turning the music down at 8pm.
“If you went overseas to Europe or anywhere people go on holidays, and the bartender said it’s nine o’clock we’re doing last drinks because it’s too loud, your tourism is gone. So how is it we are trying to do the same thing?”
Duncan has called for regulations to protect small business.
Jonathan Jackson - 27-2-23
