Former all-male club could see woman elected to top spot

It took a century for women to be admitted to membership but now an exclusive Brisbane central business district club may soon have its first female leaders.

TATTS ELECTIONS

ALL the talk down at the Tattersalls Club, aka the Queen St Workers Club, is whether a “sheila” will end up running the august institution after next month’s elections.

With current president Stuart Fraser reportedly standing down, we hear the field is wide open for new female members to step up at the annual general meeting on March 24.

Readers will recall that it’s been a year since membership of the august CBD institution was opened to women, with several hundred women so far joining.

A number of female candidates have expressed interest in running for office but no definite names have emerged.

Despite dire predictions that allowing women into Tatts would cause the earth to stop spinning, things appear to have settled down in the Queen St barracks.

The pea and ham soup is still being served in the dining room and the ladies haven’t redecorated the main bar in pink and apricot.

The Tattersalls Club president Stuart Fraser.

Still we hear some at the club may be concerned about a female takeover of the committee which could see the boys eventually outnumbered.

There’s no turning back the clock on women membership but the word is there may be a battle underway between the old and new guard about the future direction of the club.

Fraser was not contactable yesterday.

CARGO DELAY

COURT action to wind up the company operated by Brisbane hospitality couple Angus and Leah Cattanach and their business partner and DJ, Aydan Sturgess has been adjourned until later this month.

City Beat readers will recall that McLachlan St Holdings, which operates the X Cargo bar and entertainment complex filled with shipping containers in Fortitude Valley, was hit with a winding-up bid in Brisbane Supreme Court from Zaval Cleaning Services Pty Ltd. Zaval is run by Diego Aristizabal, who also does work for other well-known Brisbane venues, including Little Valley, Jellyfish, Cha Cha Char and Miss Kay’s.

The winding up action was down for a mention in the Brisbane Supreme Court on Monday but has now been adjourned to February 18. McLachan St director Aydan Sturgess says he is confident the matter would be resolved and the venue was still operating at full capacity. He declined to comment further.

DROP OFF

IT may bear the same name as a popular brand of Mexican beer but we hear the coronavirus is playing havoc with the local wine industry.

Sirromet Wine boss Rod Hill tells us the Mt Cotton winery has lost several hundred thousand dollars in the past couple of weeks as Chinese tour groups were hit by travel bans due to the spread of the virus. “We would have lost between 3000 to 4000 Chinese visitors over the Chinese New Year period,” Hill says. “February has traditionally been a quiet time for us so we have relied on the Chinese tourists.” Other tourist operators are no doubt also being impacted by the virus making the planned $2 million industry rescue plan announced this week by the government even more important.

Empty looking retail areas at DFO in Brisbane, a popular haunt for Chinese tourists. Photographer: Liam Kidston.

PICK UP ARTISTS

THE up-market Calile Hotel in James Street is quickly gaining a reputation as a hang out for the city’s bold and the beautiful. We hear The hotel’s lobby bar, which serves champagne and caviar ($250 per serve) is also becoming a noted pick up joint. We hear the wife of a prominent lawyer waiting to meet her husband one night last week had to put out a rescue call to hubby when an assortment of Don Juans made a beeline for her.

OFF THE BUSES

FORMER Transit Australia Group (TAG) chief executive Michael McGee has been appointed chief commercial officer at Brisbane-based software company RedEye Apps.

McGee is fresh from selling the bus operator to an international pension fund in what was one of Australia’s largest transport company transactions.

McGee has been brought on board at RedEye to help the Queensland-based start up expand its international footprint. RedEye’s clients include Snowy Hydro, Alinta Energy, SA Power Networks, Transurban and the Queensland Children’s Hospital.