Lounge operator rents Richard Pusey’s former S&M venue for 24-hour nightclub
Carlo Colosimo, the owner of popular Melbourne nightclub Lounge, which closed in April after 29 years, has rented a notorious former sadism and masochism venue for his next hospitality venue.
Colour will trade from the ex-Hellfire Club building at 229 Queensberry Street in Carlton – one block north of the Melbourne CBD.
Mortgage broker Richard Pusey sold the c1835 double storey former church building, and the structure next to it (225 Queensberry Street) for about $6 million last April – a deal which reflected a high land rate of $18,500 per sqm and record building rate of $9500 per sqm.
Under a business name of Hoity Toity, the two assets cost a total of $4.55 million in mid-2016.
The ex-Hellfire Club space has a 3000 person seat capacity and licence to trade 24 hours a day (excluding 7am-10am on Sunday).
Mr Colosimo will open Colour on October 3 with Ben Rausa and Liam Alexander – who are behind summer festival Something Unlimited.
Colour is being fit out to allow for live music, with a bar and band room operating from Tuesday to Thursday, according to this www.broadsheet.com.au item.
The business will replace another nightclub, Yours and Mine, which opened mid last year.
Illusion nightclub has also been previously based at the site.
The Parkville train station, part of the $11 billion Metro Rail Project, is in the immediate vicinity of the building.
Six months ago we reported that Cherry Bar on AC/DC Lane, in the shadow of the 101 Collins Street skyscraper, was closing after 20 years.
Lounge quit 234 Swanston Street reportedly so its owner could push through a redevelopment proposal.
However earlier this year another nightclub, Radar, rented Lounge’s ex-CBD space.
