Hot Dub show to be moved after Stockbridge venue deemed '˜unsafe'

Organisers of the sold-out event, Hot Dub Time Machine, planned to hold the world-famous club night in St Stephen’s Church, giving a different, more intimate twist on the usual high capacity venue.

But Fly Events, promoters for the night, had to put all hands to the pump to save the show after an inspection by council officers discovered the floor was unsafe for the number of people who would be dancing during the high tempo show.

The one-man operation by DJ Tom Loud from Sydney is the world’s only time-travelling dance party.

It was launched in 2011 and since sold hundreds of thousands of tickets worldwide and has played at festivals around the world.

And with days before the first show, which opens tonight, the Fly Events team had to spin some last minute moves to ensure the show would go on.

Fly Event owner Tom Ketley said he had no choice but to put a halt on the St Stephen’s Church option after finding out it was not structurally safe to hold Hot Dub Time Machine.

He said: “As soon as we were told the safety concerns to do with the floor we had no choice but to move venue. We tried to doing something original and this time it didn’t come off.”

The event, which sees DJ Loud spin tunes from every decade starting from the 50s in chronological order, accompanied by large screens playing archive concert footage and music videos, has now been moved to The Liquid Room on Victoria Street and will run tonight, tomorrow and Saturday at 8pm.

In trying to create a different experience for the show, the promoters also met with resistance from some of the venue’s neighbours.

Resident Susan MacInnes questioned the plans, taking to Twitter to ask: “Is it reasonable to give one week notice of an event which will disrupt our neighbourhood with no obvious right to object?

“Where is the permission to close a public road and operate a bar in a residential area?”

Despite some other residents coming out in support of the event, Ms MacInnes shared that she had no evidence that the organisers had applied to the council for the required permissions, claiming that “no application for an occasional licence for this is listed on CEC website when checked.”

But city council spokeswoman told the Evening News that all the appropriate licences and permissions had been applied for and granted.

She said: “Hot Dub Time Machine have applied for the relevant licences and a temporary traffic regulation order.

“Everything has been done by the book.”

And for those who missed out on a chance at the Fringe show, there is another chance to catch Hot Dub this year with a new ‘lager’-than-life, Oktoberfest-themed castle party Hot Dub Stein Machine.

The event will be held on October 13 in the grounds of Gosford House and tickets go on sale on August 7.

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