Legendary Oxford Street gay club Arq has announced an opening date – Time Out
There have been whispers in Sydney’s LGBTQIA+ community lately that one of the Pink Mile’s most notorious nightclubs could be making a return. Passersby have noted work going on inside the building, and advertisements for staff have been spotted. A mysterious Instagram post on October 7 from the club’s account teased a rebirth. And this morning, December 6, Arq Sydney confirmed these rumours and have even given us partygoers an opening date.
After endless months of silence and mystery, December 16 marks the official open day, with tickets for the extra fabulous weekend going on sale on Wednesday, December 7. Well, that’s enough to get us planning our outfits and firing up the group chat!
The whole weekend will brag a stellar line-up of drag, music, DJs and heaps more, including a performance by none other than Nat Bass on December 16; Zoë Badwi and Sgt Slick on December 17; and the launch of ‘Sunday Runway’ a weekly party night on December 18, with extra special guest star the vocally incredible, Jack Vidgen.
This is especially exciting news after the Taylor Square property, which is home to the nightclub and Bodyline Sauna, was listed for sale for a cool $50 million in September 2021. To most, this signalled the end of an era. But now it looks like late-night boogies on podiums and deep and meaningful chats with new friends in Trash Alley are on the horizon (if you know, you know).
Ahead of the massive Sydney WorldPride celebrations that will bring an Olympic-level scale of international and interstate visitors to Sydney in 2023, lord mayor Clover Moore has plans to revitalise Oxford Street and Taylor Square. This brings with it hope that Sydney’s OG historic LGBTQA+ neighbourhood could return to its former glory – and there is no greater indicator of that than the revival of the city’s most delightfully trashy gay nightclub.