First, it was the roof collapsing, now it's the business: Stonewall Hotel Pty Ltd, the company behind the Oxford Street gay bar Stonewall Hotel, which was recently acquired by US-based Pride Holdings Group, has fallen into administration.
Darlinghurst
US-based Pride Holdings Group, which acquired the Stonewall Hotel business in Darlinghurst last year, has secured a 10-year lease over the former Kuleto's cocktail bar in Newtown as part of an expansion of the Stonewall brand into Sydney’s inner west, with an opening planned for January.
An announcement about the details of the official 2026 Mardi Gras Party could be made as soon as this week.
When a little-known US company quietly posted a press release on its website announcing it had acquired Sydney’s legendary Stonewall Hotel last month, the news flew under the radar.
Stonewall Hotel’s former co-owners were bought out by the venue’s new American owner using shares valued at $US6 million ($A9.2 million) when the deal to acquire the Sydney gay bar was struck – stock that has since more than doubled in value.
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has announced that DJs Dan Murphy and Estée Louder will headline Glitter Club 2026, the premium parade-night viewing event returning to Taylor Square on February 28.
Oxford Street gay bar Stonewall Hotel has extended its lease of neighbouring venue Diva bar, ensuring long island iced teas will continue to be poured from the pink-coloured watering hole for at least another three years, seven months and 27 days.
Ultimately, and perhaps sadly, creating spaces where people feel included, safe and comfortable sometimes means drawing lines that exclude others.
Sydney’s soon-to-launch gay bar Pink Pony has changed its Instagram handle to "new.name.coming" following online backlash that accused the venue of culturally appropriating a song by a lesbian artist about inclusivity while at the same time marketing itself primarily towards gay men.
Pink Pony, the new Sydney club set to take over management of Flash's former Oxford Street venue Two 3 One, will "unashamedly" position itself as being for gay men aged 18-35, feature dance pop and harder house/tech style music, and undergo a revamp before opening at the start of summer.