A popular western Sydney entertainment venue has been criticized for using the “diversity” of its customers to explain a lack of Christmas decorations.
West HQ, the entertainment precinct in Rooty Hill, came under scrutiny by Blacktown councilor Allan Green this month when he noticed the venue was almost devoid of Christmas decorations.
Blacktown Council held a Christmas party at the venue and were forced to bring in their own decorations.
Green questioned West HQ for its apparent lack of cheerfulness and received a statement from its customer service manager.
“As a premium destination in Greater Sydney, we will continue to celebrate the Christmas season, as we have done in previous years, taking into account the diversity of cultures that visit the Western Headquarters precinct,” the statement said.
Mr. Green was taken aback by the response. including his refusal to even mention the word “Christmas.”
“It’s surprising from a cultural point of view and very disappointing, but it’s also not a very smart marketing move,” he told Daily Mail Australia.
‘People from all backgrounds celebrate Christmas. It is a world tradition; It is even celebrated in the Middle East.
Pictured is a photo shared by Blacktown councilor Allan Green showing the apparent lack of Christmas cheer at West HQ.
Green (right) says Christmas is an important part of maintaining Australian culture
“It seems that the management (of the western headquarters) is still in the pre-enlightened stage of the Grinch.”
Green said the statement made no sense because Rooty Hill’s largest ethnic group is Filipinos, for whom Christmas is an important celebration.
“They have the longest Christmas celebration in the world, which starts in September in the Philippines,” he said.
‘It is also worth noting that Blacktown City’s population still has a majority of ethnic backgrounds based on Christian culture, so cultural diversity is not a good reason to downplay Christmas.
‘We want to maintain our Australian culture and this is a very important part of that.
“Some people say Christmas is commercial, but there is a spiritual side that is important.”
Allan received dozens of supportive comments on his social media post.
“Shameful,” said one user. ‘Being respectful of other cultures goes both ways and should not involve the knee-jerk cancellation of any Christmas signs.’
West HQ, once nicknamed the ‘Vegas of the West’, is a cornerstone of Sydney’s cultural and entertainment scene.
“Western HQ needs to be reported for canceling Christmas,” said another.
“The manager is probably out of touch with the broader community,” said a third.
However, when Green’s post was shared on Reddit, the reception was much more negative.
“There is absolutely no reason for local representatives to fight any kind of social problem, no matter what side they are on,” said one.
A spokesperson for West HQ said the venue “loves celebrating Christmas along with most other major events throughout the year that bring together family and friends from all walks of life.”
“While decorations are one way to celebrate, we invest in other initiatives for this joyous day, including our special Christmas menus, Christmas giveaways, live music and family entertainment,” the spokesperson said.
“And after listening to feedback from our members this year, we will be investing in more decorations for Christmas 2025.”