East nightclub goes south
Iconic venue shuts doors with debts of $1 million
A GOLD Coast night-life icon has gone bust after nearly a decade of debauchery, owing creditors at least $1 million.
East Nightlife, located down a back alley entrance off Surf Parade at Broadbeach, quietly closed its doors on Saturday, with administrators appointed on Monday.
Over the years the self proclaimed “spiritual night-life” venue cemented itself as a venue for the rich and famous, with celebrities including Snoop Dogg, the Pirates of the Caribbean cast including Orlando Bloom and Geoffrey Rush, Lil Jon, Peking Duk, Savage, Wolf Creek actor John Jarratt, Timmy Trumpet, hiphop group Naughty by Nature and the cast of Geordie Shore all having a night out there.
Owner James Tweddell said he decided to move on from the company for family reasons and said the insolvency was voluntary. An insolvency notice confirmed the company had gone into administration, effective Monday.
Dominic Cantone and Jason Bettles of Worrells Solvency have been appointed as administrators and say creditors are owed at least $1 million. The Australian Taxation Office is understood to be the biggest creditor.
A creditors meeting will be held at Worrells HQ at Robina on Thursday, February 8, at 11am.
The news did not come as a shock to all, with an East insider saying they suspected the venue may have been on borrowed time after Mr Tweddell told the Bulletin in June last year that he would accept offers for the business.
A source also said that while there had still been occasional big nights, the venue had been “quieter” over the past six months because increasing operational costs meant entertainment and special events had been cut back.
The source said one of the biggest reasons for the closure was the roadworks at Surf Parade last year, which deterred people from
The source said people “just didn’t come back” even after the roadworks were completed.
Mr Tweddell told the Bulletin last year he wasn’t concerned about the new lockout laws that moved lockout from 3am to 1am and last drinks from 5am to 3am.
“The reality to be honest is we haven’t seen a massive impact – 3am to 5am is the witching hour,’’ he said. visiting Broadbeach.
“Not too much good happens after 4am.
“At East, our patrons tend to be a bit older anyway and most people are gone by 3am.”
Mr Tweddell and his wife Rebecca started their exit strategy three years ago when the couple established a farming company, Allora Downs, in 2015, producing predominantly spray millet.
Asked about possibly selling East last year, Mr Tweddell told the Bulletin he would not miss the four-hour drive inland to his farm on the Darling Downs, which he did four times a week.