Hugely successful Royal Croquet Club may move interstate over negative attacks

ONE of the Fringe Festival’s biggest success stories may turn its back on Adelaide and move interstate without more support from authorities.

ONE of the Fringe Festival’s biggest success stories may turn its back on Adelaide and move interstate without more support from authorities.

The team behind the hugely successful Royal Croquet Club, which drew more than 350,000 people to Victoria Square at the past two Fringe events, are weighing up their options after complaints they are damaging the square and taking business away from bricks-and-mortar traders.

The SA-based team held a successful event in Melbourne this year and now have events planned for Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth which they now see as the future unless there is support for the Victoria Square event.

“We’ve reinvigorated Victoria Square but now have to weigh up our options,” RCC director Tom Skipper said.

“We are all Adelaide guys but there are a lot of misconceptions out there now. We are keen for a vibrant Adelaide. Turf can be transplanted, culture can’t.”

The Australian Hotels Association has been a critic of the Adelaide City Council allowing the RCC to operate on the square in competition with bricks-and-mortar pubs, clubs and cafes.

The RCC traded for five weeks over the Fringe period and paid $59,000 to lease the western side of Victoria Square.

A fortnight ago city councillor Alex Antic called for an investigation into what should be allowed to happen in Adelaide’s most prominent park, amid concerns ratepayers were subsidising a commercial venture.

The RCC team is disappointed with what they see as lack of support from Adelaide City Council for their event.

Council declined to offer a comment when contacted by The Advertister asking if they would support the Club next year.

The paper revealed yesterday that city ratepayers have paid at least $51,000 of a $94,000 bill to repair damage to turf on Victoria Square caused in part by the RCC and Tour Down Under.

However, RCC operators say they are tired of being seen as villains in a city supposedly trying to be vibrant and may look interstate.

The RCC has planned $40 million of work in SA in the next five years but need the support from authorities and guarantees of support to invest in future events.

RCC’s Stuart Duckworth said: “The council is not against the event but the biggest voices now being heard are lobbying against activation of events like RCC and bringing people to Victoria Square.

“People are coming to a place and enjoying events, with jobs, where not so long ago no-one came.”