Fee hikes ‘killing live music scene’

Jessica Benton
Tough new liquor licensing laws are threatening Geelong’s live music scene, according to venue operators.
They said the laws’ licence fee hike lumped the venues with dangerous Melbourne clubs, forcing them to cut back on bands.
Barwon Club owner Greg Dodds said the laws categoried his hotel with late-night venues in Melbourne’s King Street.
“The liquor licensing has put a blanket straight across all venues so that nightclubs and strip joints are being compared to corner hotels,” he said.
“Our licensing fees have quadrupled. The laws are so ludicrous that if two people are sitting in the bar at lunchtime and decide to put some money in the jukebox, by law we have to have two security guards there to watch them listening to the music.”
Mr Dodds said the laws had forced the Barwon Club to reduce live music by 50 per cent.
“This sort of thing will send live music to the wall.”
The Brumby Government introduced the fee hikes after a state liquor licensing investigation last year. Under the new licensing rules, venues must employ additional trained security staff and install security cameras.
The National Hotel’s owner, who wanted to be identified only as Rick, said his venue was now in the same high-risk category as Melbourne’s former Tote Hotel, which closed last week blaming the new fees.
“In the three and a half years I’ve been here I’ve had two tickets. We try to do everything right and we work closely with the police,” Rick said.
“I can understand liquor licensing but not at the detriment of killing off live music.”
The National expected to pay an extra $14,000 to $16,000 each year.
“It may mean limiting live bands and having to use the back room for functions instead.”
A spokesperson for Consumer Affairs Minister Tony Robinson said the new fees covered the “real” cost of regulating licensed venues.
“Before the new fees were introduced, there was a significant shortfall between the revenue generated by fees and the actual cost of regulating and policing licensed venues.
“This shortfall was paid for by the rest of the Victorian community.”
The spokesperson said large, late-night venues paid higher fees, while smaller hotels had to pay “commensurately less”.