Night Quarter is accused of failing to control dance floor density regulations and keep people in their seats at a Spacey Jane concert last week.
At 8.30pm on Friday, a week after the concert, police attended Night Quarter and reviewed security vision, allegedly identified the breaches and then shut the venue down indefinitely.
“We can’t control people standing up and dancing to a concert and the majority of the concert was actually seated,” co-owner Michelle Christoe said.
The nightspot’s other owner, Ian Van der Woude, added: “This is really, really hard, we’ve had musos phone, they’re in tears, it’s really, really tough.”
The pair were sent a letter from the Queensland government outlining the breaches in order:
- Operating a dance area with an occupant density of greater than 1 person per 2 square metres
- Failure to ensure patrons were seated
- Failure to ensure patrons remain seated
- Failing to implement adequate crowd control
The venue was supposed to host pop sensations San Sisco tonight and Daryl Braithwaite on Sunday.
The owners said the government was not being transparent, and opposition MP Jarrod Bleijie said it was hypocritical to hold the State of Origin but not concerts.
“It’s ok to go to a sporting event, stand up and dance at a stadium and yell and scream and spit, or whatever you do at a stadium,” Mr Bleijie said.
Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeanette Young hit back, saying the risk of transmitting coronavirus in confined spaces and on dancefloors was far greater.
