An iconic nightclub has announced its shock closure, in another blow to Sydney’s dwindling nightlife.
For 17 years, The Argyle in The Rocks has been a popular party spot for late-night revelers.
New Year’s Eve will coincide with the Sydney institution’s last night of trading.
The nightclub on Wednesday launched a final countdown packed with “giant events”, starting with famed Australian DJ Havana Brown this weekend.
“For almost two decades, we’ve been the backdrop to some of Sydney’s biggest and most epic nights,” the venue wrote.
“From local legends to multi-platinum international artists, we’ve partied with the best and none of this would have been possible without you.”
‘The party is far from over in Sydney and we can’t wait to party with you one last time!’ said.
The Argyle is one of 30 venues set to close as part of a major restructuring by its owner, hotel group Hunter St. Hospitality and Pacific Concepts.
The Argyle (pictured) announced on Wednesday night that it would close after 17 years operating at The Rocks, Sydney.
The nightclub always had a strong DJ lineup, attracting music lovers to the city club (pictured, a DJ performs to a crowd at The Argyle).
The hotel group also owns other well-known venues such as Rockpool Bar and Grill, Sake and The Bavarian.
The company has focused its attention on high-end restaurants rather than nightclubs since Frank Tucker took over as CEO.
“The 20- to 23-year-olds have been good to us,” Tucker told the Sydney Morning Herald in September.
Revelers were shocked to learn of The Argyle’s demise.
Many took the closure as a sign that Sydney’s nightlife was “dying”.
The announcement of the impending closure within “weeks” is a blow to Sydney’s nightlife (pictured, The Argyle nightclub)
‘First it was Marquee and now Argyle. Sydney nightlife is slowly but surely dying,” one wrote.
Another added: “All the nightclubs come out of Sydney that’s why nightlife is so bad nowadays cuz (sic) even Kings Cross ain’t even like it used to be.”
A third wrote: “It’s getting harder to go to a good club since we lost the Cross.” Now we’re losing Argyle and I don’t know how many more people can hold out.
Other Sydneysiders said they were “heartbroken” by the news and thanked the nightclub “for all the good times”.
The closure of the Argyle is just one of many Sydney nightspots to close in recent years.
Many blamed the New South Wales government’s strict CBD lockdown laws from 2014 to 2020 for killing off the city’s once vibrant nightlife.
The industry has been hit again by the effects of Covid and now by the high cost of living and inflation, making it difficult for many nightclubs to survive.
Closings in recent years include Marquee and the world-famous Frankie’s Pizza in 2022, and The Carter Sydney earlier this year.