HQ Complex nightclub on Hindley St closes down
UPDATE: Once one of the city’s most popular nightclubs, HQ Complex has been placed into voluntary administration after closing without warning.
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HQ Complex has been placed into administration, days after the popular club closed without warning.
A director of the company, Des Caulfield, on Tuesday night confirmed Clifton Hall had been appointed administrator.
The Advertiser yesterday reported the club, which moved from North Tce to Hindley St in 2017, had shut its doors for good.
The business announced on Tuesday it was unlikely to generate enough income to continue trading, opting to close last weekend without telling revellers.
Disgruntled employees said they only learnt about the closure and job losses via social media.
People with tickets to shows scheduled at the venue should contact the booking agency for more information.
The venue moved to Hindley St in July 2017 after shutting down its premises on North and West Tce, spending $15 million on the relocation.
“It has proven difficult to replicate the old business model at the new location,” a statement read.
“It is not possible to specifically identify the specific reasons for the failure of the business, but it comes at a time where economic activity continues to be sluggish while competition for patrons has significantly increased.”
A source said there had been problems with the business since the death of Rod Rose, the lead figure of a syndicate of investors, who died in January last year.
“He was very much the driving force and things have not been the same without him,” the source said.
When The Advertiser visited the Hindley St venue there was no sign of staff inside.
DJ Matt Watkins, who was supposed to play at the club on the weekend, had his gig cancelled.
Management for Eskimo Joe, scheduled to play there later this month, was contacted for comment about the future of its gig.
Stephen James Jupp, a doorlist promoter for the club, posted on Facebook earlier today to “rest in peace HQ Complex”.
“Due to correct speculation surrounding the club’s future, HQ Complex has now closed business,” he wrote.
“This is such a sad time for a lot of us that work and promote at HQ, everyone has become such a close family and we are so happy that we started at such an amazing venue.”
“Truly is the end of an era.”
The Messenger understands removal trucks were spotted at the venue in the early hours of the morning.
Mr Rose, regarded as the premier publican of Hindley St, operated several businesses on the strip including the Rosemont Hotel, which closed in February last year.
His son Stephen, the HQ Complex general manager for several years, and still a director of the company, has not returned calls from The Advertiser.
Mr Rose’s other children David and Gabby have been heavily involved in the family business.
HQ was formerly at 1 North Tce where it closed its doors for a final time in January 2017.
HQ moved premises to 149 Hindley Street and opened in October that year as the largest club in Adelaide featuring restaurants, bars, a coffee shop and function areas.
The three-level club, located next door to the Crazy Horse Revue, has a capacity for 2300 people.
The North Tce venue, which for more than 40 years also housed Bojangles and Joplins clubs, had been known as Heaven since 1993.
Alleged links with SA bikie gangs marred Heaven’s later years and the venue eventually shut in 2005.
Stephen Rose had previously told The Advertiser about the “sleepless nights” that went into planning the relocation and rebirth of Adelaide’s superclub.