MARCH 6, 2019 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
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Ben Coyle in front of the Dancing Dog Cafe. (Marco De Luca)
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The cafe began with a gallery space, moving on to host award-winning theatre and, more recently, comedy, poetry and music. Mr Coyle said a crowd-funding campaign to buy the building when it went up for sale in 2015 showed how important the venue had become to the community. The building was eventually sold to an investor for a little over $1.575 million. “I was the first ‘Fitzroy-style’ cafe in Footscray and the first bar in the area, as well, when a lot of pubs were shutting down,” Mr Coyle said. “It’s been a pioneer and it’s been a lot to a lot of people over the years. A lot of people had
their first opportunity to play their first gig here. “What I’m proud of is the fact we’ve lasted so long – not many venues go the distance,” he said. Zoning changes in central Footscray have paved the way for more multi-level redevelopment, creating sharp rises in property rates and making it difficult for businesses to secure long-term leases. The Dancing Dog will celebrate 17 years with a special event on March 23, permanently closing on March 28 with a final open mic night.
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Soaring rents and development pressure have claimed another Footscray live venue scalp – culture and cafe trailblazer the Dancing Dog Cafe. After 17 years of trading, the cafe will close its doors later this month after rising costs made it unviable. The Dancing Dog gained prominence as one of the few live music and entertainment venues in the heart of Footscray, hosting music, theatre, comedy and cultural events since opening in 2002.
Owner Ben Coyle said Australian music legends Paul Kelly and Ross Hannaford had played at the Albert Street venue, with a number of other musicians also getting their starts through open mic nights. The closure, slated for March 28, will follow the demise of the Reverence Hotel, which called last drinks last Saturday after almost seven years. Mr Coyle said he was disappointed to be pulling the plug. “It was out of our hands,” he said. “The cost has been going up in Footscray as far as rents and rates go.” 1182408-CG18-15
By Benjamin Millar