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What’s On In Fortitude Valley
A rundown of events and things to do in Fortitude Valley
Hotel and Apartment Boom In Fortitude Valley
A construction boom is going on in Fortitude Valley, with several apartment and hotel developments set to open in the next few years.
Forrester Properties is building a 56-unit apartment with its own cafe and wine bar, a deli and convenient store, and private dining room, has begun. Called Baxter St Apartments, the apartment building will rise to 10 storeys. There will be 25 one-bedroom units and 31 two-bedroom units. Forrester Properties will retain management rights.
photo credit: Baxter St Apartments
The former Queens Arms Pub and its adjoining hotel is undergoing an extensive $5 million rehabilitation and will reopen in 2017. With 93 rooms spread across four levels, the hotel will also have a coffee shop, restaurant, a boutique wine cellar at ground level, and basement car parking. Once owned by rugby league legend Arthur ‘Artie’ Beetson, the project is being run by development company Pacifica and will be managed by SilverNeedle Hospitality. The hotel will be rebranded as the Sage Hotel James Street.
photo credit: SilverNeedle Hotels
Hotel chain TFE Hotels will be building a 178-room luxury hotel in Fortitude Valley, which is set to open in 2018. Calile Hotel, which is being developed by Calile Malouf Investments, and will be operated by TFE Hotels. Designed by Richards & Spence Architect, the seven-storey hotel will also include more than 2600sqm of retail and hospitality space. There will be restaurants and cafes on the ground floor, a podium level with a swimming pool, cabanas, a fitness centre, a business centre, a restaurant and a day spa. Also housed on the same level will be a 300-seat function room. At the basement there will be parking for 220 vehicles.
photo credit: TFE Hotels
A new 140-room hotel is being planned on 458 Brunswick Street, with an opening date of 2020. Hotel Indigo, to be built by West End-based developers Pointcorp, is planned as a boutique hotel and will feature several art galleries, laneway restaurants and boutique stores when it is finished. Pointcorp also recently signed a management agreement with the hotel chain Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG), which will manage the hotel. IHG currently has 26 hotels operating in Australia under the brands Intercontinental, Holiday Inn, and Crown Plaza, and Holiday Inn Express.
photo credit: IHG
Lockout Laws in Fortitude Valley
On July 1, 2016, a new lockout law was implemented that further restricted the drinking habits of Queenslanders. Spearheaded by Australian Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, the law mandated earlier times for last drinks (2:00am) for pubs and clubs outside the safe night precincts, last drinks call of 3:00am for nightclubs within safe night precincts, and alcohol sellers would no longer be allowed to sell alcoholic drinks after midnight. Nightclub visitors have 30 minutes after the last drinks are called to finish their drink. Venues outside and inside of the safe night precincts can remain open after 2:00am and 3:00am respectively to serve food, non-alcoholic drinks, and provide entertainment. Further restrictions are due in February 2017.
Under the new lockout restrictions to be implemented in the next couple of months, nobody will be allowed to enter/re-enter any premises within designated safe night precincts during the lockout hours. Inside, the venue will stop serving alcohol at the time mandated for that venue. Visitors may enter after 3:00am to consume food and non-alcoholic drinks.
In Fortitude Valley, lockout hours will be between 1:00am and 3:00am. The new law replaces the 3:00am lockout and 5:00am closing times introduced in Queensland in 2005.
Pubs in Queensland will not be able to serve alcohol after 2:00am, but those within the dedicated safe night precincts can shut at 3:00am. The 15 safe night precincts are as follows:
Airlie Beach
Brisbane CBD
Broadbeach CBD
Bundaberg CBD
Fortitude Valley CBD
Ipswich CBD
Mackay CBD
Rockhampton CBD
Sunshine Coast (Caloundra, Maroochydore and Mooloolaba)
Surfers Paradise CBD
Townsville CBD
Exempt from the law are BYO restaurants, casinos, airport terminals, and the residential accommodation sections of licensed premises. Failure to comply with the lockout laws could result in up to $12,190 in penalties for licensees or permit holders.
The laws come as an attempt to regulate Australians’ drinking habits, protect the community and hospitality workers, and avoid alcohol-fueled violence, especially at night.
Nightclub operators have reported a 20 per cent drop in business since the law was first implemented in July. Weekends were no better. Casual staff in nightclubs saw a two-hour reduction in their working hours, and consequently, their take home pay.
Fortitude Valley Nightclub Operators Embark On Campaign To Curb Alcohol Related Violence
Nightclub operators in Fortitude Valley recently launched a campaign to educate nightclub visitors especially the 18-24 years old set, and teach them new techniques on avoiding confrontations while under the influence of alcohol. The campaign, called “Let it Go,” is being run in cooperation with the police, church, state and local government, the industry and nightclub patrons, and is based on comprehensive research conducted by the nightclub industry.
The campaign will use text appealing to the younger set and will run for 12 weeks, with a different message focused on every week that will be posted in nightclubs and throughout Fortitude Valley.