Prevailing economic conditions and a slow recovery from the coronavirus pandemic have resulted in the closure of two Sunshine Coast live music venues over the last five weeks.
Eleven Dive Bar, a popular venue for local and international music acts alike, has shut its doors, citing COVID-19’s lasting impact on the industry, plus ongoing issues with the building itself. Eleven was transformed from an old, dormant Cash Converters into a space for live music, opening in March of 2020. But a leaking roof – something that was present since the beginning of Eleven’s tenancy – began to cost the business around $150,000, and the coronavirus pandemic tightened the ropes even further.
The timing of Eleven’s opening meant it didn’t qualify for any COVID-19 financial assistance.
“All of the grants stated that you had to be in business before March 2020,” Eleven Owner Aaron Crump told ABC. “When we opened there was no talk of vaccines and mask mandates and all that sort of stuff.”
NightQuarter, another live music venue which opened in November of 2020, also closed recently. . . Just two years after its opening. It was dubbed the largest live music venue in the region, and also cited slow economic recovery from COVID, floods, and the rising cost of living.
“We've sold our home and put it towards the business to assist through this time,” NightQuarter Co-Owner Michelle Christoe said in a statement.
"However, the attendance rates for live music events and night markets have been volatile coming out of COVID and we've run out of runway.”
COVID’s Omicron variant cancelled 11 NightQuarter concerts alone in early 2022.
Eleven Dive Bar Owner Aaron Crump hopes this isn’t the very end of the venue, and is remaining as optimistic as possible that doors can open once again.
