Sydney nightlife suffers another devastating blow as The Argyle closes its doors

An iconic nightclub has announced its surprise closure, another blow to Sydney’s nightlife.

For 17 years, The Argyle at The Rocks has been a popular party venue for late night revelers.

New Year’s Eve will coincide with the final night of trading for the Sydney institution.

The nightclub launched a final countdown packed with “massive events” on Wednesday, starting with popular Australian DJ Havana Brown this weekend.

“For almost two decades we have been the setting for some of Sydney’s biggest and most epic parties,” the venue wrote.

“From local legends to multi-platinum international artists, we’ve celebrated with the best, and none of it would have been possible without you. »

“The party is far from over in Sydney, and we can’t wait to party with you one last time!” he said.

The Argyle is one of 30 locations to close as part of a major shakeup undertaken by its owner, hotel group Hunter St. Hospitality and Pacific Concepts.

The hotel group also owns other well-known venues like Rockpool Bar and Grill, Sake and The Bavarian.

The company has focused on high-end restaurants rather than nightclubs since Frank Tucker took over as CEO.

“The 20- to 23-year-olds have been nice to us,” Mr Tucker told the Sydney Morning Herald in September.

Revelers were shocked to learn of the Argyle’s disappearance.

Many interpreted the closure as a sign that Sydney’s nightlife was “dying”.

“First it was Marquee, now Argyle. Sydney nightlife is slowly but surely dying,” one wrote.

Another added: “All the nightclubs are from Sydney that’s why the nightlife is so bad nowadays because (sic) even Kings Cross isn’t even like it used to be.”

A third wrote: “It’s getting harder and harder to go to a good club since we lost Cross. Now we’re losing Argyle and I don’t know how many more people we can support?

Other Sydneysiders said they were heartbroken by the news and thanked the nightclub “for all the good times”.

The closure of the Argyle is just one of several Sydney nightclubs that have closed in recent years.

Many blamed the NSW government’s strict CBD lockdown laws from 2014 to 2020 for killing the city’s once-vibrant nightlife.

The industry has been hit again by the effects of Covid and now the high cost of living and inflation, making it difficult for many nightclubs to survive.

Closures in recent years include Marquee and the popular Frankie’s Pizza in 2022, as well as The Carter Sydney earlier this year.