Sydney venue Freda's to close after nine years

Sydney venue Freda’s is closing for good on Saturday, November 21st.

Situated in a 100-year-old warehouse in the Chippendale neighbourhood, the beloved spot opened nine years ago and has since built a reputation as one of the city’s best small spaces. Even before the pandemic, “it had already become clear to us that we were not part of the long-term plans for our building,” owner David Abram said in a statement.

He adds: “After surviving five years of lockouts, red tape, rising rents and an exodus of youth from the city centre, Freda’s had finally been flourishing after receiving one of Sydney’s first 4 AM licences (outside the casino) since the heady days of the Olympics. We had been looking forward to by far our most successful and stable year ever. Boy were we wrong.”

The venue will sign off with three weeks of seated events dubbed Festival Of Freda’s, running from November 6th through 21st. As well as popular nights like Disco Bongo and Vibe Positive, there will be a grand finale featuring a live set by Freda’s House Band, plus Simon Caldwell, DJ Crabby & DJ Salami on the decks.

Despite the closure, Abram hinted in the same statement that this “isn’t goodbye forever. When one door closes, another one opens. We will see you again soon.”

Read his statement in full, and revisit our film about the Sydney scene.

Photo credit: Imogen Grist

• Nov 06  Disco Bongo: Last Night Of Disco
• Nov 07  Full Moon: Freda’s Final Birthday
• Nov 13  Gauci (Live)
• Nov 14  Ben Fester & Friends
• Nov 20  Vibe Positive
• Nov 21  Freda’s: The End