Narrabeen RSL’s future dire after clubs goes into voluntary administration
It was a popular live music venue and community hub, but a Sydney RSL is in administration after losing the battle with Covid. See the ‘last drinks’ photos.
Manly
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The future of a popular northern beaches’ RSL club, with 3,500 members, is in the balance.
Narrabeen RSL Club – known to locals as the “Razza” – has gone into voluntary administration.
The administrator, Adam Shepard, said on Tuesday he now has to work out if the club can be “saved”.
Mr Shepard also has to try and get money owed to the club’s creditors and employees.
The voluntary administrator has the powers to sell, or close the club’s business, or sell individual assets, in the lead up to creditors deciding the company’s future.
But the club’s landlord, RSL NSW, said it would look for a new leaseholder to operate a club at the premises.
The Manly Daily reported in early February that the club, which had a healthy live music and cocktail bar scene, had closed its doors “temporarily” until the end of February because its turnover and customer numbers had been smashed by the Covid pandemic.
In a message to members the club’s board of directors said on February 3 that it faced an “uncertain future”.
On March 7, without the doors reopening, the voluntary administrator was appointed.
In a message to members and supporters last week the club said it had been “overwhelmed with the concern and support” in what had been a “very challenging time”.
“The board wishes to inform you that the Club has entered the process of voluntary administration. We appreciate your patience and understanding while this is undertaken.
“Whatever happens next The Razza will always have a place in our hearts and no matter what, our community will always be in our thoughts.”
Mr Shepard said he now had to assess the club’s position.
“We’ve got to attend the premises to see what the position is with the (Narrabeen RSL) sub-branch, which owns the premises.
The club’s landlord, the Narrabeen RSL sub-branch, a branch of RSL NSW, the returned war veterans’ charity, had been in rent negotiations with the club.
“I have to assess if the club can be saved and to get the best return for the employees and creditors,” Mr Shepard said.
The first meeting of creditors will be held online on Thursday at 11am.
Mr Shepard said the RSL club does not have any access to the premises.
In February its general manager Tracey Mihjalovic said the NSW Government’s ongoing restrictions on singing and dancing in clubs, to stop the spread of Covid, hurt the club.
It was operating on restricted hours and was open between Thursday and Sunday. As the result of the Omicron wave, the club has had to regularly cancel live music events.
RSL NSW said on Tuesday that, as a charity, it had a duty of care to “ensure that optimal income is achieved from its assets so that it can continue to support and provide services to veterans and current serving members of the Australian Defence Force, and their families”.
“As the owner of the premises the Narrabeen RSL sub-Branch intends to secure a new lease with a club entity so that the facility can reopen to the public.
“In the meantime, the Narrabeen RSL sub-Branch will honour the Club’s various agreements with community organisations, by facilitating access as required.”
Narrabeen RSL management was contacted for comment.
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