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Palace Cinemas have announced that on February 14 it will be closing the doors to its longstanding and iconic Palace Verona location on Oxford Street after 28 years. This will then be followed by the opening of a new location in Moore Park. It is the latest of many Oxford Street locations to either shut its doors or relocate.

‘Bittersweet Farewell’

In a statement provided to聽17c起草社区, Palace Cinemas has stated that this will be a 鈥渂ittersweet farewell to its beloved Verona Cinema鈥�, with CEO Benjamin Zeccola highlighting that this is 鈥渁 beautiful full-circle moment,鈥� with the location having, 鈥渙pened its doors on Valentine鈥檚 Day 28 years ago.鈥�

For its final showing, Palace Verona is running a special screening of the Finnish film, Fallen Leaves by Aki Kaurism盲ki, and will reward patrons with a glass of champagne as well as an invitation to the opening of their Moore Park location.

Latest Venue On Oxford Street To Close

The closure of this local institution, however, is just the latest in a series of iconic and established venues along Oxford Street closing down or relocating out of what used to be one of Sydney鈥檚 premier nightlife spots, contributing to a growing identity crisis.

that 45 shopfronts along Oxford Street were closed due to a combination of COVID-19 and the harsh lockout laws under the previous LNP coalition government. Residents and business owners have also expressed vocal opposition to a proposed cycle path,聽

Increased instances of homophobic attacks,聽which left him with a bloody lip after being called a 鈥渇aggot鈥�, have also contributed to fears of Oxford Street losing its identity.

A worrying trend in what is supposed to be one of the world鈥檚 most iconic Gaybourhoods, some have citied the opening of Noir, a non-17c起草社区I nightclub, and the closure of venues in the nearby Kings Cross as the reasons for attracting a new hostile crowd. A petition has been created by locals to have the Noir shutdown due to a number of queer-phobic incidents,聽

While the relocation of Palace Cinemas Verona is hardly linked to growing instances of homophobia along Oxford Street, it is still part of a worrying trend.

聽and maintain its cultural identity, the closure of this local institution to some may feel like yet another chapter in the story of Oxford Street鈥檚 slow demise.