Club 77, one of Sydney's longest-running electronic music venues, has reopened with a redesign built around accessibility after a months-long renovation funded by a NSW government grant. The Darlinghurst club's changes include a ramp and wheelchair lift, accessible bathrooms, a lowered bar, a dedicated sensory area and a DJ booth that can be adjusted to suit performers with mobility aids.
Club 77, a fixture of the city's nightclubbing scene for almost three decades, was long known for the steep staircase leading down to its basement techno floor. It reopened in late July after extensive work supported by a grant from the NSW government.
The club drew on advice from an accessibility consultant and members of the disabled and electronic music communities. The back-alley entrance now has a ramp and a wheelchair lift. The renovation also added accessible bathrooms, lowered part of the bar, and created a sensory area off the dance floor. The DJ booth can be raised or lowered to suit a performer's height, and can move forward and backward to accommodate mobility aids. Haptic vests, which vibrate to the beat of the music, are available for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Owner Dane Gorrel said programming disabled artists had highlighted the need for change. "We programmed some artists with disability a couple of times … and there was always issues with setting it up, and making it right, and making it comfortable for them," he said. "Making the club accessible has been something that we've been looking at for a very long time."
Sydney DJ Lana Zilla, who has what they describe as "dynamic" or "fluctuating" disabilities and sometimes uses a walker or stick, said accessibility at most clubs was "not great." "I haven't been DJ'ing, because it can be hard to ask for [accommodations]," they said. "There are also nights that you couldn't just go out in the city and go to a night without planning it extensively … I think I'm at a point now where I'm not actually going out as much as I'd like to."
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The redesign offers a concrete example of a long-established nightclub adapting its physical space and equipment for disabled patrons and performers, not just meeting minimum requirements.
- Venue access can determine whether disabled artists can perform and whether disabled music fans can take part in nightlife at all; DJ Lana Zilla described reducing their gigging and nights out because of barriers.
- The project could show other venues what is possible with government funding and specialist advice, potentially shaping how accessibility is treated across the nightlife sector.
Background
Nightclubs in older buildings often face significant accessibility barriers: narrow entrances, stairs, fixed bars and cramped performance areas. Retrofitting these spaces can be expensive, which makes grant-funded projects like Club 77's relatively unusual. The club sought guidance from an accessibility consultant and from members of the disabled and electronic music communities, and used a NSW government grant to help cover the work. The result combines physical changes — ramps, a lift, accessible bathrooms, a lowered bar and an adjustable DJ booth — with services such as haptic vests that let deaf and hard-of-hearing patrons feel the music.
Key Perspectives
Club 77 owner Dane Gorrel: "Making the club accessible has been something that we've been looking at for a very long time." He said past bookings of disabled artists exposed recurring problems with setup and comfort, and the redesign is intended to address those issues.
DJ Lana Zilla: "There are also nights that you couldn't just go out in the city and go to a night without planning it extensively." They said asking for accommodations can be hard, and that accessibility at most venues is "not great."
Accessibility and music communities: The club sought input from an accessibility consultant and members of the disabled and electronic music communities, whose advice is reflected in features such as the sensory area and height-adjustable DJ booth.
What to Watch
- Whether other venues follow Club 77's lead, and whether the NSW government's grant program sees increased demand from venues seeking similar accessibility work.
- How the new features — especially the ramp, wheelchair lift, haptic vests and sensory area — hold up during busy club nights.
- Whether the adjustable DJ booth and lower bar encourage more disabled performers and patrons to use the venue, and whether that changes programming over time.