Red-C ‘shocked’ over Coffs Council decision on former Deep Sea Fishing Club

Council have sought expressions of interest for the former deep sea fishing club site at Coffs Harbour’s south wall, leaving current licensees in shock.

The former Coffs Harbour Deep Sea Fishing Club occupies a brilliant block at Coffs Harbour’s southern end.

A council decision to seek expressions of interest on a prized waterfront venue has been met with shock by the current tenants who seem determined to remain as operators.

Occupying prime real estate overlooking Coffs Harbour, the former Deep Sea Fishing Club has been operated by Regional Ethical Development Community Pty Ltd as live music venue Red-C since 2018.

With their contract coming to an end shortly Coffs Harbour City Council, as managers of the premises, is seeking EOIs for a new licence on the site.

However, in a lengthy post on their website Red-C management have expressed “shock and dismay” at the decision, claiming they asked the council “months ago” for an extension and were given a list of works to be completed in order to have that application considered.

They have now begun a Change.org petition which has amassed more than 1300 signatures.

RED-C Director Dan Stevens at the venue in 2019.

“Despite our attempts at an early resolution in extending our tenure which expires in mid-September, Council has now resolved that the expressions of interest will close on September 3,” they stated.

“After 18 months of pain in the industry, this process is a significant blow to the dedicated staff and performers who have contributed so much.”

A council spokeswoman said it had been trying to advance the long-term development of the site since the Fishing Club was liquidated in 2016 and it was now dependent on the master planning of the broader Jetty Foreshores Precinct, currently underway.

While council would not comment on claims made by the Red-C regarding the process to extend their license, they did address the company’s suggestion its rent had increased 20 per cent since the beginning of the pandemic and that it had only received one rent reduction in that time.

The foremer Coffs Harbour Deep Sea Fishing Club was liquidated in 2016 and was taken over 2 years later by Red-C events who operated it as a live music venue.

“Council has applied its rent reduction policy to the Licence for the facility in accordance with its resolved position and this has been applied to the facility for three fiscal quarters since the pandemic commenced,” the spokeswoman said.

“The EOIs … will be evaluated based on value and obtaining the highest and best use of the facility for the community.”

Council confirmed the final decision will be made under delegated authority, meaning the decision will not come before a council meeting.

While the timeline over the decision remains unclear, a tender addendum added to the list of documents on the council’s website states the new licence will commence “as soon as possible following termination of the existing licence and selection of the successful respondent”.

The short term license appears to be structured in the same way it has been for the last three years – a one-year contract with the “conditional right” of two single-year renewals.

The former Deep Sea Fishing Club has been the subject of significant discussion over its potential redevelopment through the Coffs Harbour Jetty Precinct masterplan.

Red-C director Dan Stevens has been in a long running dispute with the council through another company, Regional Architects Pty Ltd, over a 57-lot subdivision in Toormina which has only recently been the subject of an appeal.

The future of the site has been under a cloud for some time while the Jetty Foreshores master plan is completed in consultation with a special advisory panel. 

However, a map released at the announcement of the panel’s makeup sent the community into meltdown when it appeared to show the prime land could be used for retirement living.

NSW Water, Property and Housing Melinda Pavey was then forced to walk back comments made at the press conference in which she said the retirement living proposal was “a council decision”.

The Coffs Coast Advocate later revealed the proposal had actually originated from commercial real estate firm CBRE who were the state government’s technical and commercial advisers.

Dan Stevens was contacted for comment.