Melbourne’s The Punters Club Is Set to Reopen

A former beloved institution in Melbourne’s live music scene is under new ownership, aiming to restore it to its former glory.

Located at 376 Brunswick Street in Fitzroy, Melbourne, the site was once home to The Punters Club, renowned as one of Melbourne’s top music venues since the mid-1980s.

Known for its gritty vibe and sticky floorboards, it hosted nationally known acts like Something For Kate, Spiderbait, Magic Dirt, and You Am I early in their careers.

The new owners are wasting no time. They’re restoring the pub’s original name, The Punters Club, as locals still refer to it, according to author and broadcaster Jane Gazzo, who broke the news on the Sound as Ever Facebook page.

The exterior will revert to its original cream and green colors. Inside, old wood panels are being restored, and they’re acquiring 90s band posters for decoration. A CD player jukebox filled with local Australian 90s CDs will also be installed.

The Punters Club closed in 2002 after a legendary 12-hour music marathon, later transforming into Bimbo Deluxe pizza bar and most recently, Kewpie Nightclub, offering cheap pizzas and DJ nights.

The original owner, Mat Everett, explained to The Age in 2002 that closing the Punters Club was “purely a business decision.” He noted, “Brunswick Street has changed. The people who used to live around here were the ones who came to the Punters Club. Now it’s more expensive, and our regulars have moved away.”

In a statement, the new owners remark: “We see this new era as a love letter to the original pub which Matt and Penny Everett so beautifully created. We plan to focus on music and music events but also create a community for all music lovers and locals. We want to honour what it once was while also creating something new.”

They plan to open in early August.