Ezekiel Ox (ex-Mammal, Full Scale vocalist) is holding weekly vigils outside the Palace every Friday between 5pm and 6pm. It’s not a Save The Palace group protest, they are there to support him. There’ll be speeches on how to save the venue as well as sharing of stories and a bit of entertainment.



This Friday also marks a meeting to consider a heritage listing for the Palace building. If that proves successful, it may be the turning point for the campaign.



A push for the State Government to compulsorily acquire the site and operate it has failed so far. Planning Minister Matthew Guy said that the Government couldn’t find the $30 million required. In any case, the landlord Jinshan Investments doesn’t look like it is willing to give up the block. Any move by the Government could have ended up in a lengthy legal issue, Guy admitted.



Sources told Beat that Guy’s major problem was that the building did not have a heritage listing.



Jinshan has applied to demolish the building while it awaits permission to build a 15-storey luxury hotel and apartments. The Palace Theatre’s lease expires on Saturday May 31. Jinshan will not extend it.