One of the Gong’s institutional late-night party venues has closed, ahead of a significant renovation and “change of use”.
In the days after Christmas the party-hard Illawarra Hotel posted on social media it would soon be time “to say goodbye” and announced a series of ‘farewell’ parties to end with a bang.
The Facebook post teased that what the future held would be revealed in due time, prompting over 3,800 comments, and hundreds of former and regular patrons pleading for it to not be true.
But on 2 January Closing Party #1 – a final iteration of the traditional Retro Thursday nights – bustled in a swag of local Gongers to boogie to tunes of old.
The next night Closing Party #2 – a tribute night to all the great tunes from ‘Disney & Friends’ – took the celebrations into the final weekend.
On Saturday 4 January the Illawarra invited patrons for $5 beer and wine “until we run dry”, as DJ Retro Rob counted down the finest rehash 100.
On Sunday a lingering silence was shattered with pronouncement that “that’s a wrap” as the proprietors championed their newly unemployed staff and hinted at what’s to come.
“These guys have hustled hard right to the end and are as beautiful on the inside as they clearly are on the out.
“Major renovations start tomorrow.”
Wollongong Council reports a DA on the premises specifying refurbishment of the existing hotel, with “change of use of Level 1 to a pub and office premises and Level 2 to office premises”.
The changes will accordingly bring some relief from licensing and trading conditions.
Further information as it is announced.
