Gold Coast City Council officers shut down Dracula’s street performance in Surfers Paradise

THE vampire stars of Dracula’s renowned cabaret took their show to the streets of Surfers Paradise this week to celebrate the Commonwealth Games. But then council staff turned up.

WHEN Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate told businesses experiencing a downturn during the Games to ‘have a good crack at it’ and market themselves, the team at Dracula’s decided to take his advice.

The Broadbeach cabaret restaurant closed for the night on Wednesday for the first time in its 30-year history to take its show on the road to Surfers to remind Games crowds their Gold Coast business is not dead yet.

Draculas took its show on the road this week.

However, only a few minutes into the cast’s live pop-up performance in the shopfront of Dracula’s sister property, the Haunted House on Surfers Paradise Boulevard, a “very nice” council officer instructed them to shut the show down.

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Dracula’s CEO Alfie Schmid said the Newman Family Entertainment-owned company was still unsure why the performance was shut down.

“We want to make it clear we aren’t upset or whingeing,” he said.

“We are more intrigued by the irony of the messages from the city.

They performed a pop-up show in Surfers Paradise.

“We went out of our way to send a positive message and turn our poor ticket sales into creating a fun and exciting vibe for visitors to Surfers Paradise.

“Businesses have been asked to go out of their way to market themselves, and not sit on their hands. This is exactly the Dracula’s way and what we did.”

It was show down for safety reasons, according to the mayor.

Mayor Tom Tate said yesterday the show was shut down because of safety concerns.

“I understand this was for safety reasons with people spilling on to the street,” he said.

“I know we have 200 city employees out there right now, volunteering as Games ambassadors, so we are far from party poopers ... it was a safety issue first and foremost.’’

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Mr Schmid said the Dracula’s team appreciated “he enormous amount of work that has gone into delivering an incredible event of this scale”.

“An event being broadcast around the world can only benefit the Gold Coast,” he said.

The event was a pop-up show.

“In fact, we are seeing an upturn in sales post-Games already.

“We weren’t selling tickets, we weren’t overly loud and we were within our shop the Haunted House. Our idea was to turn the slow trade into something spontaneous and positive.

“We provided free entertainment to what was a very quiet street and those that stopped by were really enjoying it.”

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Mr Schmid said Dracula’s was committed to supporting the city.

“We just find it ironic that we were so supportive of the Commonwealth Games and this was the outcome,” he said.

The show was highly colourful.

Cr Tate appeared to reiterate his “have a crack at it” comments during a media call at Commonwealth House early yesterday.

Asked what he had to say to businesses in Surfers Paradise complaining that things were still quiet, the Mayor said “I’m still going to do a shout out to locals”.

“Please get out there and do what you normally do but this time around get out their and support your local business,” he said.

“We have record people out and about.

There was a big crowd for the show.

“The light rail’s a record, the visitation is up so the best I can say to locals is ‘let’s get out there, have some fun, take your time, drink some coffee’.

“I know it’s been a long time since Christmas so have some pastry as well.”

A council spokesman said while live entertainment was supported in Surfers Paradise, council does not support “ad hoc performances which impede the safety and enjoyment of the area for all”.

“City Laws Officers carrying out routine patrols in Surfers Paradise (11/4/18) became aware of a large crowd gathering around a band playing amplified music and singer who had set up within the boundary of their premises,” the spokesman said in a statement.

“The audience was starting to spill onto the roadway and either side of the shop front in which they were playing. This situation was considered to be an obstruction to pedestrians and a hazard to traffic.

Council was not impressed by the show.

“Our officers waited for the band to finish the song and discussed the issue with the operator who confirmed that the performance was scheduled to continue for a further 60 minutes.

“In view of the planned duration and the gathering crowd a decision was made to request that the event did not continue. The band completed a further song and finished their performance.”

The spokesman said council encouraged anyone considering similar activities to get in touch and discuss their proposals.

“The City is committed to supporting local business and will make every effort to assist,” the spokesman said.