Seventh Tipple - the company behind Bar Open, Pony and Yah Yahs - have negotiated a new lease on the Tote building and plan to reopen the venue within two months.
The closure of The Tote sparked an outcry amongst music fans in Melbourne and even across Australia leading to the SLAM rally which attracted over 10,000 people marching on the streets of Melbourne protesting Victoria’s Liquor Licensing Laws, which were blamed for the closure of the venue.Jon Perring of Seventh Tipple told ABC Radio Australia that nothing will change except the carpet. They have the same band booker and offered several former staff members their job back.
They will also be applying for an exemption from the “high-risk” license conditions that have been placed on several venues around Melbourne and was the key Liquor Licensing law that was said to cause the venue’s demise.
It remains to be seen as to whether it will still be called The Tote, but they are negotiating to use the name.
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