Gold Coast nightclub TEMPO to remain open until 9am in Qld first

Gold Coast party lovers will now be able to dance into work hours with a nightclub now open beyond sunrise at Surfers Paradise.

TEMPO nightclub has announced it will extend its trading hours from this weekend to let patrons rave from 10pm on Saturdays to 9am on Sundays.

Taking over on the spot of famed nightclub Sin City, the venue has been dubbed the “home of Latin” house and techno music.

It’s the first nightclub to offer such long hours to revellers in Queensland, and TEMPO is doing so despite liquor licensing laws preventing alcohol being served past 3am.

“We are STOKED to announce that from this weekend TEMPO will be closing at 9am,” the nightclub owners posted on Instagram.

To celebrate the start of “this new journey” the club is hosting a kinky BDSM-themed party where patrons will not be allowed to bring their phones to capture the raunchy night.

The venue’s operator Matt Keegan hoped the move would convince the state government to alter the laws to allow last drinks to be extended beyond 3am.

“We’re the only place in Queensland to do it and we thought it’s crazy no one is giving a home to people who want to party into the early hours of the morning,” he told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

“Extended trading hours need to become a permanent reality for Queensland and especially for the entertainment precincts like Fortitude Valley and Surfers Paradise.”

Mr Keegan pointed to law changes in NSW and Victoria that allow drinks to be served until 5am and 24-hour trading times to make their night-life “competitive”.

Queensland introduced new laws restricting drinking in 2016 in the hope of curbing alcohol-fuelled violence.

“Last drinks” was moved from 5am to 2am for venues across the state, while those in entertainment precincts can serve drinks until 3am.

Other rules include shots being banned after midnight and mandatory ID scanning from 10pm.

Mr Keegan urged the state government to make a change before Brisbane hosts the 2032 Olympic Games to make the most of an influx of international travellers.

“There’s no question it has to be done – and hopefully it’s done sooner than later we can get everything in place and operating smoothly prior to the arrival of the Games,” he said

“The international crowd TEMPO attracts loves to party, and they don’t want it to end at 3am.”