Brothel owner satisfies a desire
THE Townsville Cup race day will be like no other in the event’s history but in a huge boost for the Townsville Turf Club patrons will now be allowed through the gates.
Current COVID-19 restrictions mean planning is under way to accommodate 3000 people on course making tickets hot property, as the event will be one of the first to return to the region’s social calendar.
The race day on August 14 won’t feature the usual corporate style marquees, however the club’s newly refurbished members precinct is expected to carry plenty of atmosphere.
The Townsville Cup, which includes the running of the Cleveland Bay Handicap and Guineas is usually held as part of the July winter racing carnival.
Townsville Turf Club event manager Jodie Kennedy said it was an amazing feeling to be one of the first big events back on the calendar.
“It’s such a great event where people come together, see their mates they haven’t seen for a while, have a good time, watch a bit of local horse racing,” she said.
“Obviously restrictions have given us the ability to put people in at one per 4 square metres. We’ll have some great options for people to purchase into and that will be on our Facebook page in the coming weeks.
“It takes time to put a big event like this together so we’re taking a few weeks to iron out what we need to do to make it a great and enjoyable day for all our patrons.”
The club will also hold a soft opening on Friday, July 10, to get a peek at the racecourse’s newly renovated facilities.
A TOWNSVILLE woman who always wanted to own a pub or a brothel is about to fulfil her desire by opening a house of prostitution in Garbutt.
Kay Lyons is putting the finishing touches to her upmarket brothel at present.
“There’s an old saying, I always wanted to own a pub or a brothel. There’s no money in pubs anymore. I guess I’m yet to find out whether there’s money in brothels,” Ms Lyons said.
The born-and-bred local has taken a lease on the former Australian Maid site in Hugh Ryan Drive which closed when the city’s economy tanked amid the mining bust a few years ago. The only other Townsville brothel also closed some years ago.
The latest annual report of the Prostitution Licensing Authority finds the state’s 20 brothels are almost entirely confined to southeast Queensland, meaning that most geographic areas are not serviced by a licensed brothel.
Ms Lyons has come through the intense scrutiny of the licensing authority and, more recently, the delays caused by the COVID-19 restrictions.
According to leasing agents Ray White Commercial, that scrutiny and the cost to establish and operate brothels sorts the men out from the boys — or in this case the women out from the girls.
“I had to fly to Brisbane to be interviewed by the police,” Ms Lyons said.
“They practically want you to trace the family tree back to when you came from Ireland in the famine.”
Ms Lyons had recently never set foot in a brothel, while her great grandfather had operated pubs in Banana and Mackay.
She almost once bought a pub herself and had funds invested.
“I just figured a brothel had better returns than the banks were giving,” Ms Lyons said.
She said she had gone to “some expense” with her brothel’s decor.
“My aim is to provide a happy, welcoming environment for clients and, for my girls a safe, happy environment and, of course, discretion,” Ms Lyons said. “I am going to look at providing a pick-up service for clients as well.”
The one-time furniture maker, waitress and barmaid regards her latest venture as “another one of life’s adventures”.
Ray White agents Troy Townsend and Graeme Russell said the amount of construction occurring in the city meant there should be plenty of lonely men around, although the emergence of online dating sites had hit the prostitution the industry.
“When the construction industry fires up there’s usually a bit more money in the skyrocket,” Mr Russell said.
The brothel is expected to open later this month.