Cliff Dive: Oxford St nightclub to beef-up security after neighbour complaints

An Oxford Street nightclub has been ordered to beef-up its security after complaints about “anti-social” behaviour and revellers “pre-loading” on alcohol before painting the town red.

An Oxford Street nightclub has been ordered to beef-up its security after complaints about “anti-social” behaviour and revellers “pre-loading” on alcohol before painting the town red.

Liquor and Gaming NSW was called in to investigate a series of noise and disturbance issues raised by nearby residents of the The Cliff Dive nightclub in Darlinghurst.

The complaints largely centred on the behaviour of patrons leaving the venue including claims of anti-social behaviour, vandalism, intimidation and alcohol-related violence.

The venue said patron numbers have increased since the lifting of lockout laws.

The lead complainant alleged the bulk of disturbances took place after 11pm on Friday and Saturday nights and there were instances where the sound of “patrons yelling and screaming into the early hours” could be heard from inside units.

There were also gripes over revellers “pre-loading” on booze outside the venue’s security radius, leading to instances of disturbance and “public indecency”.

Residents said a number of community meetings have been held with the venue, however the issues had become “beyond mediation”.

In their application to Liquor and Gaming, they called for the venue to be closed down.

The venue is located along the Oxford St strip.

The club, which has operated under its current licence since 2013 and has been approved as a nightclub since the 1970s, trades as late as 4am on Fridays and Saturdays and has a capacity for up to 315 patrons.

Advertised as “Sydney’s wildest nightclub”, the venue is currently subject to a number of licence conditions including a noise condition, CCTV condition, RSA marshal condition, and a glass condition.

The venue rejected claims by residents it had breached its licence conditions and said it had a number of measures in place to deal with disturbances, such as half hourly perimeter checks and a procedure to move on loiterers.

The site first operated as a nightclub in the 1970s.

The club submitted neighbouring residents also had direct contact with the venue’s management and complaints were responded to as they occurred.

The venue’s director Alex Dowd said the club’s location next to Oxford Square made it a natural place for people to congregate – including patrons from other venues in the Oxford St entertainment precinct.

Mr Dowd said the enforced Covid-19 closure of the venue and subsequent reopening would have been “extremely visible for residents” who had become accustomed to a quieter Oxford Square which is now back to levels predating the 2014 lockout laws.

He said the venue had also put in place procedures to deal with an “extremely large influx of patrons” after Covid lockdowns which has resulted in instances of long queues and individuals being turned away from the venue.

An aerial view of Oxford St.

A submission to Liquor and Gaming from NSW Police agreed the venue had become significantly busier following Covid-related closures and also noted promotions targeting a younger demographic.

Police supported increasing the venue’s security following previous inspections where there were instances of patrons engaging in anti-social behaviour, littering, using drugs and public urination.

Liquor and Gaming NSW regulatory interventions manager John Coady, in his decision, said he was satisfied residents have been impacted by undue disturbance and regulatory intervention was warranted.

Mr Coady imposed three security related conditions on the venue’s license including ensuring one security guard patrols the area at 30 minute intervals from 9pm until the last patron leaves the venue and surrounding area.

One security guard will also have to remain in Oxford Square during peak times to direct patrons loitering or lingering on to Oxford St.

He said the conditions would protect residents “from undue disturbance by managing patron traffic” and “directing them from the immediate vicinity”.

Mr Coady also recognised Cliff Dive had attempted to take on the “sole responsibility” of the Oxford Square area which lies in on a major thoroughfare in the Oxford St entertainment precinct.

“Given the density of late trading licensed premises along Oxford St and the nature and locality of Oxford Square, it is reasonable to conclude that as a public gathering area not all individuals within this location can be attributed to the venue itself,” he said.

“On this point, I acknowledge that an increase in a shared responsibility across licensed venues in the immediate area to address loitering patrons in Oxford Square would have a positive impact in reducing disturbance.”

The conditions imposed by Liquor and Gaming NSW will come into effect on April 1.

The Wentworth Courier contacted the venue’s management for further comment but did not receive a response at the time of publication.