Surfers Paradise ‘safer than ever’ with Safe Night Precinct initiative

Burleigh operators have hit back at a Surfers Paradise nightclub boss after claims the southern suburb had “a wide increase in crime and issues” and “can’t decide what it wants to be”. FULL STORY

Surfers Paradise night economy bosses say the hospitality hotspot has never been safer as Burleigh grapples with an evolving party scene and related problems.

Surfers Paradise vendors and veterans are praising impacts of the joint Safe Night Precinct (SNP) initiative with State Government, which has blanketed the suburb with more CCTV, security and patron ID scanning for more than 10 years.

Neighbouring Broadbeach has the same SNP designation but Burleigh - now home to increasing late-night hospitality - does not.

Residents and some business owners fed up with the changes in Burleigh, with drug bags, syringes, vomit and rubbish on the streets and bloody brawls on a regular basis. Picture: Glenn Hampson

SNPs aim to stamp out drug and alcohol-fuelled violence across 16 key entertainment precincts in Queensland using high visibility and rapid response policing, ID scanning and patron bans. The ID scanning and patron banning across Broadbeach and Surfers is prompting debate about whether it pushes ill behaved partygoers to Burleigh. It comes as police have promised to deploy extra resources to patrol Burleigh as it grapples with its night economy and also vagrancy in its retail areas.

Artesian Hospitality managing partner Matt Keegan said the group behind Surfers’ venues Cali Beach Club, Surfers Pavilion, Havana and Bedroom has seen a positive SNP impact.

Mr Keegan said proactive policing, CCTV camera expansion and most venues taking a “considered approach” to enforcing a set of standards and rules against “undesirable patrons” had drastically improved the vicinity.

“There’s less crime and less issues than ever,” Mr Keegan said.

“Surfers as a whole has started its journey of growing up to become a more quality food, beverage and entertainment precinct and, with the council approving plans to significantly revitalise the precinct, it’s only going to get better.

Matt Keegan and Tim Martin inside Bedroom nightclub. Picture: Jerad Williams

“Burleigh Heads has seen a wide increase in crime and issues. Burleigh can’t decide what it wants to be – some people want it to be purely residential, others want it to be a grunge bar area and some want it to be another nightclub precinct.”

Mr Keegan said its mounting issues were a result of “confusion or inaction”.

“Restaurants trading like nightclubs – this sort of conflict brings additional problems because those businesses don’t face the same scrutiny they should, and the area isn’t equipped to deal with the problems coming with it,” he said.

“This leaves police in a tough spot having to clean up a mess of bad behaviour that shouldn’t be there. I feel for the businesses, police and residents of Burleigh because it’s a terrible situation and one that will likely take some time to turn around.”

Surfers Paradise entrepreneur Craig Duffy - who owns Hollywood Showgirls “nightclub with a difference!”, and small bars Tipsy Pig and Coco Loco, said the SNP strategy was positive overall.

Craig Duffy and his son Kalvin Duffy in the new Tipsy Pig bar in Surfers Paradise. Photo: Tertius Pickard.

It meant “a bit of unnecessary bureaucratic overburden” – there was “a bit of a trade off”.

“It can cause entering premises to be slower. Sometimes more staff are required to efficiently get people as quick as they used to.”

Mr Duffy said another burden was older patrons without ID, resulting in them being turned away due to ID scanning being mandatory late at night.

“A 40-year-old man may not understand why he needs ID – he’s no where near 18 – so there is confusion,” he said.

Orchid Ave party strip veteran Cocktails nightclub owner Lino Girardi called the SNP initiative “great” and said Division 10 councillor Darren Taylor was “hands on” with operators.

Officers were using metal detecting wands in the Surfers Paradise Safe Night Precinct when they allegedly discovered a large knife, homemade shiv, methylamphetamine and drug utensils concealed on the boy. A 16-year-old Redland Bay boy was arrested at the scene and charged with one count each of possessing a knife in a public place, possessing dangerous drugs and possessing drug utensils. Picture: Police Media

Cr Taylor added: “If you do something wrong in Surfers or Broadbeach you’re going to be caught on camera - if you’re kicked out of one nightclub you can’t get into another.

“In relation to people heading to Burleigh, that’s a challenge.”

Cr Taylor said SNP status was a community collaboration overseeing changing dynamics.

“Burleigh’s got its own challenges and the Safe Night Precinct does really help in that space.”

Burleigh operators have hit back at Mr Keegan claims the southern suburb had “a wide increase in crime and issues” and “can’t decide what it wants to be”.

Scotty Imlach, behind Nightjar in Burleigh and Nobby’s Bine, said: “We’re not the rogues we’re made out to be”.

His defence came after what he called “slagging Burleigh” by Artesian Hospitality managing partner Matt Keegan.

Mr Imlach hit back saying there was nothing wrong with the suburb.

“I don’t understand why they’re going so crazy about it, because there’s nothing wrong with Burleigh,” he said.

Mr Imlach said other than a spike in homeless-related incidents which he said was a citywide problem, none of it had to do with licenced venues.

“We haven’t had any trouble at any of our venues and I speak to the guys from (Burleigh’s) Justin Lane and Pink Monkey all the time – we haven’t had any trouble down here for ages,” he said.

Scott Imlach. Picture: Glenn Hampson

“I’ve operated down there for six, seven years – we’ve had a handful of issues over that time but I’ve seen no increase in drunkenness or anything like that. Yeah Burleigh is busy – but everyone wants to go to Burleigh because they feel safer than going to Surfers Paradise. The problem is with Burleigh there’s not enough venues to cope – the capacity on a Friday and Saturday is phenomenal.”

He added: “Surfers must be feeling the pinch at the moment if they’re on about $3 drinks – you won’t find any discount in Burleigh.”

The prolific restaurateur said while the Safe Night Precinct initiative was not up to operators, but the State Government – Burleigh operators would comply with any State wishes should an SNP ever be enforced.

“All the venues work together down here – we have our own liquor licencing accord, we meet regularly and discuss matters with (Palm Beach Police Station Senior Sergeant) Gavin Peachey along with Council and OLGR,” Mr Imlach said.

Other than more police resources, Mr Imlach said he didn’t think an SNP would add much to the area.

“We get notifications of all the people that are banned from the SNP we get a photo report that goes to Palm Beach (police station) and they pass it on to us which goes on a photoboard with our security companies.” he said.

He added: “We are doing all we can – we’re not sitting back and saying, ‘Hey let the war zone begin’.”