A new lease has been negotiated between the Perth Theatre Trust (PTT) and Picabar, which will see the venue remain in the hands of the current operators.
PTT took over direct management of the building housing the bar in 2018, requiring new formal sub-leasing arrangements with both Picabar and the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA).
PTT have been working closely with both PICA and Picabar to provide a successful negotiated outcome to lease arrangements.
A five-year agreement with the lessee, with the option to extend for a further five years, is now in place, which sees better alignment between the businesses within the building.
Picabar is located in the former Perth Old Boys School building at 53 James Street, Northbridge.
Perth Theatre Trust is responsible for the management of the Perth Cultural Centre Public realm, the State Theatre Centre of WA, His Majesty’s Theatre, Subiaco Arts Centre and the Albany Entertainment Centre.
As stated by Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman:
“We acknowledge the great love that the people of Perth have for this bar and the energy it provides to the Perth Cultural Centre.
“I look forward to a revitalised Picabar assisting to fulfil the vision for PICA as a space that brings the local community together.”
As stated by Perth MLA John Carey:
“This is great news for the staff and management at Picabar, as well as the many patrons that frequent the venue, who came out and demonstrated their strong support of it.
“It is also an important place from an activation perspective, so it’s great to see that the premises will continue to be a vibrant place, attracting foot traffic and adding to the vibe in the Perth Cultural Centre.”
As stated by Picabar lessee Brian Buckley:
“This is fantastic news. We’re over the moon about it and excited to be part of the Cultural Centre at a really exciting time.”
