ATET Responds After Victoria Police Charge Man With Arson
ATET was engulfed in a devastating blaze last January, just months after it was threatened by noise complaints.
ATET floating nightclub in Melbourne (Source: Supplied)
ATET, the floating nightclub situated in Melbourne’s Docklands precinct, has responded after Victoria Police charged a man with arson and possessing methylamphetamine. The venue was engulfed in a devastating blaze last January, just months after it was threatened by noise complaints.
According to a report in the Bendigo Advertiser, Victoria Police charged a 32-year-old man from Lalor. The man was arrested in April of this year and will face court on Monday, 19 August.
The fire that ripped through the venue on 31 January 2023 was treated as “suspicious” at the time, with the disco ball and bar remaining while furniture was burnt “beyond recognition” and plastic from the roof dripped down to the floor.
A man has been charged with arson, nearly 18 months after a floating Docklands nightclub was gutted by fire.
— 10 News First Melbourne (@10NewsFirstMelb) July 29, 2024
Popular venue ATET was engulfed in flames in the early hours of January 31 last year, destroying the vessel, which has remained closed since.
Police initially arrested a… pic.twitter.com/ER65tJBHux
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“Last night Victoria Police laid charges for the arson attack on ATET that nearly destroyed our venue in January 2023,” venue operators wrote on Instagram yesterday (29 July). “We extend our deepest gratitude to Victoria Police and the dedicated investigators who diligently pursued this case for 18 months to achieve this outcome.”
Calling the positive news a “welcome reprieve” from the “immense challenges” faced over the last 18 months, the statement continued, “The arson attack was a deeply traumatic experience for our family and team, and it’s a relief to know that someone is being held accountable for trying to destroy our venue that we worked so hard to create.”
However, ATET notes that more must be done, and the operators are pursuing justice.
“Our venue remains closed and we will stop at nothing to hold City of Melbourne accountable for their actions in terminating our licence,” the statement continued.
“We look forward to exposing the truth about what happened to us and bringing ATET back to life. Stay tuned, more info coming very soon.”
ATET responds after Victoria Police charge a man with arson. Source: Instagram Stories
In addition to sharing a statement, ATET posted a news report from 7 News Melbourne, which unveiled never-before-seen footage of the arson attack that nearly destroyed the venue.
Venue owner Jake Hughes started a Change.org petition last June after the City of Melbourne terminated ATET’s Crown Land Licence, forcing the space into closure only eight months after launching.
“We feel an incredible sense of injustice, not only of the outcome, but due to the process that we have put through,” Hughes said.
According to Hughes, ATET was informed of the EPA report about their alleged breach of noise limits just a month before their licence was terminated. That’s when Melbourne Mayor Sally Capp said the venue had to reduce its music volume to a "background" level until it complied with the licence agreement.
“Despite having no opportunity to respond to these alleged exceedances, Council saw fit to impose this crippling restriction on our ability to trade, well beyond the requirements to comply with the EPA Regulations and conditions of our Planning Permit. This was a clear denial of due process,” Hughes continued.
In response to the report, Hughes and co. offered long-term solutions, including reducing the decibel limiter, concluding music at 11 pm and “completely enclose[ing] the venue in acoustic glass,” which would “be expected to result in a 75% reduction in noise emissions”. The proposals were rejected, and ATET’s licence was terminated.
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