Drac’s has a crack but city fires back
WHEN Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate told businesses experiencing a downturn during the Games to “have a good crack at it” and market themselves, the team at Dracula’s decided to take his advice.
The Broadbeach cabaret restaurant closed for the night on Wednesday for the first time in its 30-year history to take its show to Surfers.
However, only a few minutes into the cast’s live popup performance in the shopfront of Dracula’s sister property, the Haunted House on Surfers Paradise Boulevard, a “very nice” council officer instructed them to shut the show down.
Dracula’s CEO Alfie Schmid said the Newman Family Entertainmentowned company was still unsure why the performance was shut down.
“We want to make it clear we aren’t upset or whingeing,” he said. “We are more intrigued by the irony of the messages from the city.
“We went out of our way to send a positive message and turn our poor ticket sales into creating a fun and exciting vibe for visitors to Surfers Paradise.
“Businesses have been asked to go out of their way to market themselves, and not sit on their hands. This is exactly the Dracula’s way and what we did.”
Mayor Tom Tate said yesterday the show was shut down because of safety concerns.
“I understand this was for safety reasons with people spilling on to the street,” he said. “I know we have 200 city employees out there right now, volunteering as Games ambassadors, so we are far from party poopers ... it was a safety issue first and foremost.’’
Mr Schmid said the Dracula’s team appreciated “the enormous amount of work that has gone into delivering an incredible event of this scale”.
“An event being broadcast around the world can only benefit the Gold Coast,” he said. “In fact, we are seeing an upturn in sales post-Games already.
“We weren’t selling tickets, we weren’t overly loud and we were within our shop the Haunted House. Our idea was to turn the slow trade into something spontaneous and positive.
“We provided free entertainment to what was a very quiet street and those that stopped by were really enjoying it.”
Mr Schmid said Dracula’s was committed to supporting the city.
“We just find it ironic that we were so supportive of the Commonwealth Games and this was the outcome,” he said.
Cr Tate appeared to reiterate his “have a crack at it” comments during a media call at Commonwealth House early yesterday.
Asked what he had to say to businesses in Surfers Paradise complaining that things were still quiet, the Mayor said: “I’m still going to do a shoutout to locals.
“Please get out there and do what you normally do but this time around get out there and support your local business. We have record people out and about.
“The light rail’s a record, the visitation is up so the best I can say to locals is ‘let’s get out there, have some fun, take your time, drink some coffee’.
“I know it’s been a long time since Christmas so have some pastry as well.”
A council spokesman said while live entertainment was supported in Surfers Paradise, the council does not support “ad hoc performances which impede the safety and enjoyment of the area for all”.