Woopi SLSC seeks to remove ban on live music, increase number of events at new venue
Maximum number of events could quadruple under plan which would also allow live music, but those looking for wild night in Woopi should cool their heels.
Coffs Harbour
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Despite Woolgoolga SLSC seeking to overturn a ban on live music at their newly minted venue, the chances of Elton John returning to play Woopi appear slim.
Woolgoolga Surf Life Saving Club have applied to modify two consent conditions which would raise the number of functions permitted per-year to 40 and remove a ban on ‘live and amplified music’.
SLSC president Les Pepper said the conditions were originally put in place over concerns the club could become a live music venue but was unequivocal when asked the proposed changes meant they had grand plans for entertainment at the club, which is currently allowed to host 10 functions a year.
Mr Pepper also said the surf club “wasn’t interested” in serving drinks on a weekend and would leave that to the pubs and clubs, adding their intention was to allow more functions and remove the restrictions on live and amplified music because “all music was amplified”.
“We are not having bands there, put it that way,” he said.
“If we run music through our own PA system it is amplified.
“We are conscious of making noise and we don’t want to upset the neighbours.”
Mr Pepper said Woolgoolga SLSC has met with residents living within proximity to the club and of the 20 people who attended, there were two objections.
The $4 million venue had in-built noise treatments and he said they had not received any complaints after hosting four weddings at the venue since it opened in September.
It hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing for the SLSC on their journey to a new home, after its opening was delayed by mysterious damage to a $75,000 transformer early in 2020 which took months to repair.
Then, the demolition of the old Woolgoolga Surf Club attracted its own controversy as some in the community wantedthe old building saved at the eleventh hour.
The plan is on public exhibition until May 17 on Coffs Harbour City Council’s DA Tracker website.
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