Welcome to the Imperial Hotel, an iconic venue within the Australian Lesbian, Gay, Transgender & Bisexual community.
We are a state of the art facility that's mission is to:
"Cater to the local and international L.G.T.B communities by offering exceptional live entertainment, top line DJ'S and compelling special events; all supported by service focused bar professionals. As a community focused venue we are committed to supporting local and national L.G.T.B charities."
Our Vision is:
"To entertain and inspire our community with uplifting performance and to reinvigorate the Sydney Gay, lesbian, Transgender & bisexual social scene"
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opening updates….
Hello,
It’s with great excitement we can now officially tell you The Imperial Hotel will be OPEN to the public Saturday 4th September,2010.
However on a very serious note, we at The Imperial Hotel wish to advise everyone that due to Council Condition there can be absolutely no queues on street level once the hotel is at full capacity.
We really hope everyone understands this as this is a requirement we have to strictly adhere to set out by Council and not us.
Opening Times: Saturday 4th September,2010
Public Bar opens at midday
Caberet Bar opens at 10.30pm (for shows)
Cellar Bar opens at 11.00pm
Look forward to seeing you all there.
Kind Regards,
Shadd Danesi
Kind Regards,
Shadd Danesi
Posted on Monday, August 30th, 2010 by The Imperial Hotel | 96 Comments »
Hi,
We are crossing our fingers for a very sooooon opening night. The Impy has been so important in our 16 year relationship and we miss it so very much. We were lucky enough to be shown around the site by Shadd last year and from that moment we have been waiting for the glamorous opening. What we saw that evening was amazing!! All our friends are waiting too!! Rock on Shadd xx
Sounds like opening will b Sometime after the 23rd so excited can’t wait
thanks very much for your comment. It won’t be long and we are just as excited as you are
Hi Shadd & your Great Crew,
Shad are you prepared for the adulation that you will receive and so genuinely deserve for the preservation, battle and re-opening of The Imperial Hotel! You will be remembered as one of our most valued Honorary Gays!!! Its great to see a man willing to pursue at great cost his convictions and your herculean efforts and great financial expenditure will be rewarded ten-fold by the respect and patronage that your actions have generated giving us Gays back our very special icon!!! I know this is the sentiment of my friends as we have often spoke of the tribulations that you are enduring on this path and we often toast you in your absence! So these sentiments I share on there behalf too! I like so many of the community look forward after the opening to shaking your hand and giving you genuine thanks personally! Better get your hand ready for the big squeeze sounds like its on the horizon!!!! YAYYYY Imperial here we come!!!!
)
Cheers
Phoenix!
Hi Phoenix,
I’m truly touched by your beautiful words. Thank you so much. Shadd xx
wow i’m so excited i cant wait. My partner and i met there and it means so much to us. It has been too long between drinks.
Look forward to seeing you there Jaimie
HI shadd, thanks for the walk through recently .
I too had heard about the 3rd of septmeber (scuttlebut from the locals @ the erko)
But the 4th works. (gets outfit ready)
We are chomping at the bit to see a show again
Your a patient man shadd many would have given up ages ago. Thank you for your tenacity
marcus
Make sure you wear a fabulous outfit Marcus
I’m so excited. The Imperial has always been and will always be my favourite venue. I’m extra excited that the opening will be before i leave Australia for good and head to the Big Apple. I’ll be having my farewell there for sure
From one of a group of guys that are travelling to the Birdsville Cup & the Outback on a camping trip, it’d be awesome to drop by for a cold bevvie in your front bar when we return on September 12. Here’s hoping!
Hi Shadd & Imperial Crew,
Thank you for the update, can’t wait to see the Imperial shine again… many fond memories including meeting my gal at the Impy almost 4years ago… and you will be open before our anniversary! Wouldn’t miss the opening for the world! Congratulations on a job well done, I am sure it will have been worth the wait! Your dedication and perserverance through the challenges of re-opening the Imperial should be commended. I only hope that enough people in our community showed their support through it all? I am certain that the re-opening will give you a feeling of deep satisfaction and the recognition you so truly deserve, for what you have endured and triumphed through… thank you Shadd & the Imperial Crew xo
OMG!!! OMG!!! OMG!!! I am just so excited…. The Imperial was my 2nd home and my social life.. Yeah that sounds a bit sad… But I have missed The Imperial so much, as has so many…
Can’t wait for the re-opening… This has made me so happy and brought a tear to my eye…. WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Shadd.. i have so many friends in Erko that are just sitting at home all weekend waiting patiently for the opening night… i too can’t wait to visit, the imperial was the first gay venue i visited when i arrived in Australia over 10 years ago…
Hats off to you, i’ve been spending alot of time with Simon the past few weeks he’s getting much better..
Stephen Craddock xo
Fanatastic to hear the rumours may be true. I have waited with bated the breath for te imperial reopening. The imperial was the place where I originaly came out.
My Partner and I have enjoyed many happy nights there. The industry night is it invitation only would love to know if it is possible to get an invitation.
If you open on the 4th September is it possible you will be selling pre tickets as I am sure on the night it will be extremly busy and would hate to miss out on the opening night.
Please don’t open on the 10th as we are out of Sydney!!! I am crossing every finger and toe that you will open on the 4th September!!! We can not wait and really want to be there on opening night. I met my soul mate in the main bar by the juke box in 2005 and we had our fist kiss on the dance floor weeks later. Five and a half years later and we are still going strong, to be there for the opening would be such an important part of our lives, we love you Impy, and are praying for the 4th to be the date you open to the public again xxx
Thank god! a date! (ish) I’m very excited! I spent my youth there and was hoping I wouldn’t be to old to get another boogie in!
Bravo! something with a gay backbone back in Newtown!
Good work!
Matt
Sorry to be nagging
weird the last 3 and a bit yrs of waiting have been easier than this last week any news yet on the official date ? It’s just my weekend will revolve around u guys 
))
Hi Mandy,
The opening will be Saturday 4th September xx
Hi Vanessa,
Unfortunately no pre-tickets sold so get there early on Saturday.
Hi James,
Unfortunately no tickets sold we suggest you get there early as there cannot be any queueing on the street set out by Council (not us)
Look forward to seeing you.
What time is the ribbon being cut?? Want to make sure we are there nice and early for opening drinks.
Hi Kym,
At this stage we are unsure of what time we will open on the Saturday however we will post it on our website few days beforehand to let everyone know.
Can’t wait. So… if we are not allowed to line up on the street – is it best to give the opening night a miss? It’s my birthday! Would love to plan to be there. XXX
Hi Tim,
Thanks for your feedback. We’re just going to try and do our best with what condition Council has put upon us. Kind Regards, Shadd
Hi Karen,
We’d hate for anyone to miss out. We can hold up to a large number and we are taking every step possible to try and open early in the day to ensure most can at least come in and have a drink and look around. Obviously the shows won’t be on until the evening so at this stage we don’t really know what it’s going to be like. Of course we’d love to fit everyone in but once capacity we’re unable to do much more.It’s really up to you especially being your birthday as we can’t promise anything. We do hope you have a fabulous birthday either way !!
Great news that the Imperial Hotel will again be opening its doors to the public. Congratulations to all those involved in the mammoth task of restoring/refitting this iconic L.G.B.T. community venue (not to mention navigating the bureaucratic and populist minefields of Local Government) and for having the vision to proceed and commitment to see it through. A job well done!!
Nice to hear that success has finally come your way Shadd and the crew! It’s a pity that the queue thing is there but in any case you’re re-opening and that is a GOOD thing. Congratulations to all of you for your efforts.
Peta A.
YAY! It has been a long while coming but I know you’ve worked very hard, as I’ve seen you guys out the front with audio meters and so on over the last few months. I’m really looking forward to the opening!
Congratulations on finally getting everything approved. We bought in the area 3 years ago & have been anxiously awaiting the re-opening. WELL DONE!! You will bring plenty of spirit back into the community. Louise & Robert Henderson.
Dear Shadd and the entire team (yes that means you Billie)
We used to drive up from Canberra for weekends in Sydney and it was always drinks at the Newtown and make sure we saw all the shows in the Cabaret room. We even did interviews with Mitzi, Farenheit and Amelia for our gay radio program. I was lucky enough to help Graeme (Mitzi) finish off the new outfits for the revamped Priscilla show and all I can say is the vision and tenacity and sheer determination to bring the renovations to fruition have show that you really are an integral part of the gay community and that when an organisation (like the Council) arbitrarily knocks you down, you come out punching. Bloody fantastic and we can’t wait to hear more about opening.
Congrats guys & gals,
We recently bought on Union st and have been trying to peer in to see how the work is comming along every time we walk past.
Can’t wait to see the outcome of all your efforts!
We are really looking forward to the re-opening, as we recently moved to Sydney and I have never been inside. When we watch Priscilla setting off on her journey in the movie, we often wondered when and if the bar would actually re-open.
Congrats on 3 years of hard work and hopes that it goes a treat !
David & Jim
Whoo Hoo!!!! I can’t wait, finally a bit of sparkle back in the area.. See you on Saturday 4th! :0)
AT LAST
– We moved to Newtown 2 years ago and the Imperial closed. We have been anxiously waiting ever since to the point where we had almost given up hope of having the iconic gay venue The Imperial open again. Guess at time you too have been left wondering. However, you hung-in there and maintained the vision – thank you – can’t wait to rekindle old memories and make new ones in the weeks, months and years ahead. Congratulations on the upcoming opening……..
i actually have plans on the 4th and i am unable to make it. I have waited years now for the re-opening… so it pains me that my set plans cannot be changed. I am writing to ask if you can push it back one week??? PLEASE… i hate missing parties… especially THE ONE TO BE AT!
Am so glad that you are finally opening up this was the 1st gay bar I ever went too
WOW! The wait is over! SO excited. What a iconic venue that the community hold dear. I will be flying up from Melbourne for the weekend just to attend the opening. Can’t wait! See you all there!
Having been working interstate and overseas for the last 5 years it was sad to come home to find the Imperial closed, like many who have posted here i have many fond memories and a few blank spots from many weekends spent in the Imperial. Cant wait for the weekend to come around now have just called the old gang to get them all together for a real Sydney night out at the Imperial.Damn if i’d known you were hiring i would have put my resume in lol…..
Shad & Everyone involved…WE CANNOT WAIT.. we purchased our place because it was a skip away from the Imperial.. .and then it shut down for renos a few weeks later
but – Looking forward to being there this Saturday ….. BTW you need Mitsy back and the Old Crew for an Opening Show .. and for the People of Erskineville – THE IMPERIAL IS ERSKINEVILLE – ITS THAT SIMPLE….
YAY!
Shad – It would be great if you could host a special neighbours of the Imperial event? (not the Tne TV show…….) This would help to serve and show off why the pub is so important and keep the complaints at bay from whining locals who have delayed the opening for long enough. Lets unite and celebrate!
Well done to you for your tenacity!
Hello,
I am just wondering what is happing in regards to memberships?, myself and my friends definately are interested…
Thanks…
Hi Daniel,
At this stage we are just concentrating on opening the doors this week-end. No decision has been made on anything else at this satge, but we will keep you posted.
We’re sorry you’re not going to be there but there will be so many other fabulous nights!!!
Everyone,
I can assure you the place looks amazing.I feel so honoured to be part of the show cast on Fridays, and thank you Shadd and Billie, for all your hard work in bringing “fabulous” back to the gay scene in Sydney. Amelia Airhead xx