Sydney's Club 77 Aiming To Ditch Bouncers In Favour Of 'Safety Officers'

One of Sydney's favourite haunts, Club 77, is hoping to be approved for a security master licence that would see them bring in their own security team to combat ongoing issues with bouncers.

According to Club 77 owner Dane Gorrel, the team behind some of Sydney's most iconic events over the years said that by bringing in their own "safety" officers as opposed to third-party contractors, they hoped to create a "safer environment" for their patrons.

"At Club 77, ensuring safety is of paramount importance. For this reason, we have been actively pursuing the acquisition of a master security license for a significant period of time," Gorrel told Purple Sneakers in a statement.

"Upon successful attainment of this license, we will have the capacity to integrate security in-house, thereby creating a significantly safer environment for all venue attendees."

He continued, "While we will continue to employ licensed security guards, the emphasis will shift towards comprehensive safety training. This training will also focus on instilling the core values and ethical standards of Club 77." 

"As we bring security in-house, these guards will form a crucial part of our front-of-house team. Our ultimate aim is to provide an environment where every patron feels safe and welcome each time they visit our venue."

In another interview with the Herald Sun about the popular venue's plans to have their security master license approved, Gorrel explained that “the biggest issue we have is the lack of training with the security we get from the third party." 

He added, "They aren’t trained for our specific venue and there is a lack of understanding of what our venue requires."

“Like our bartenders, who know the names of our regulars, we want the same for the guards. We want them to be part of the fabric of the club,” he said, adding his modelled his approach on clubs in Europe.

“Their job isn’t to make people feel uncomfortable or unwelcome. It’s their job to blend into the club and make people feel safe,” he said.

It's just the latest in the club's initiatives to create a safer environment for punters to enjoy, with the venue updating its Safety And Harassment Policy in August to include a range of rules to ensure that every member in the space feels safe and comfortable.

The club deemed that "staring at someone from afar" would be considered harassment if the attention you are giving someone is unwarranted.

"As a nightclub, we encourage you to interact with strangers, however, any engagement MUST begin with verbal consent. This also applies if you are, for example, staring at someone from afar. If the attention you are giving someone is unwanted, that is considered harassment," a statement via Instagram in August read.

"Each night, one of our security guards inside the club will be designated a 'Safety Officer' and recognisable by a pink hi-vis vest. They have been trained to handle complaints and concerns. If you're being harassed by another person or receiving unwanted attention, please seek them out or tell our staff immediately."

They continued, "If we receive reports of any behaviour that has made someone feel uncomfortable, the reported individual will be removed from the venue and the police will be called. We do this to make everyone feel safe and to ensure our patrons are comfortable approaching staff if anything has made them uncomfortable or feel unsafe."