00:02Rhianna Farnan had sold 100 tickets to her annual mental health event, but with three
00:08weeks till showtime, the venue she had already paid for suddenly shut.
00:14We're at about $4,000 out of pocket, which I know in the grand scheme of things isn't
00:18a whole heap of money, especially when there's people that have lost their job, but when
00:21it's an event that we're putting on and I'm already out of pocket with my own money, it's
00:26meaning that we've got to find additional funds to keep moving forward.
00:29She's now desperately searching for a new venue.
00:33Going through trying to find the right place when so many other places need to be used at
00:39the same time and trying to find some more sponsors to cover the costs.
00:42The Franklin Wharf Function Centre is one of seven businesses that closed yesterday when
00:48their owners, the pub bank and hotel bank groups, entered voluntary administration.
00:54They've blamed rising operating costs and changing customer behaviour for the decision,
01:00affecting about 80 workers.
01:03Oh, it's such a shame.
01:05My family and I used to come to these places regularly, so it's really disappointing.
01:09Pretty disappointed, yeah, mainly for the people losing their jobs and vitality that's
01:15around this area.
01:15I work in this area and it's, yeah, it's just a bit sad today to see it all closed down
01:19and
01:20not much happening.
01:21The ABC understands the 80 staff members have been paid for their recent shifts, but they're
01:27now in limbo waiting to see what happens to their workplaces, which are being put up for
01:33sale.
01:33The situations sparked discussion about Hobart's nightlife and what went wrong for these venues.
01:40This is one of the big challenges for the sector, is trying to get people off their couches
01:45and into venues.
01:46Something the Hobart Council says it's trying to address.
01:50We've been bringing together members of the industry for a couple of different events and round
01:56tables to work with them.
01:58But for now, the stalls at these venues will stay packed away.
02:02They're just trying to get people off their screens and and that's the most difficult time to bring in.
02:03They're just trying to get lost.
02:03They're just trying to utilizzo.
02:09They're just trying to get out of their ways to focus their lives.
02:09They're just trying to get to the ball to the table, to the table.
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