A new live music and arts venue in Sydney has been forced out just weeks after opening, after its landlord invoked an obscure 1842 New South Wales law to terminate the lease.
Divine Playhouse, run by the team behind Heaps Gay Events, opened on 8 July in a heritage-listed former church on Kent Street with the aim of creating a safe, inclusive space for the LGBTQIA+ community. The venue was forced to temporarily close its doors after protests from Christian groups over its programming, and the landlord has since terminated the year-long lease on the grounds of running an “offensive trade”, a term dating back to 19th century laws originally designed to regulate foul smells and industrial waste.
The Divine Playhouse team is fighting the eviction, arguing the law is being misused to shut down a legitimate live music and arts venue.
This is a reminder of how outdated or poorly targeted regulation can still be used against live music venues today, well after the sector thought these fights had moved on. It reinforces why ALMBC continues to push for clearer, fit for purpose planning and licensing frameworks that protect venues rather than exposing them to legal loopholes.
