It may look like an ordinary building – but what’s planned for it inside has residents furious
Furious residents and business owners have rebelled against a proposal to open a swingers club just a few minutes’ walk from a primary school.
The two-storey building on City Road in South Melbourne, once home to an IT company, will soon be converted into a 200-capacity swingers club called Pineapples Lifestyle Bar
Architect Tony Baenziger is one of dozens of people protesting the opening of the swingers club, which is set to open in November.
He and more than 100 community members believe a swingers club has no place in a busy area that includes a school, an apartment building, businesses and a church.
“It’s very important that people understand that we don’t have a problem with the case, even though it’s not my thing,” Mr Baenziger told Daily Mail Australia.
“We just don’t want it here, it’s not the right place.”
The swingers club, which bills itself as “Melbourne’s premier adult playground”, plans to be open seven days a week between 10am and 2am, offering drinks and live music.
“Our purpose-built venue features an industry-leading layout, décor and events programme, designed to take hedonistic events to never-before-seen levels of sophistication, excitement and stimulation,” the website states.
‘Early evening, the ground floor functions very much like vanilla places you might have been to before. But as the evening progresses, you will see people slowly (and sometimes quickly) removing their clothes down to their underwear.’
Angry residents and business owners have risen up against a sex club set to open just minutes’ walk from a primary school
He and more than 100 community members believe that a swingers club has no place in a busy residential area
‘Our thorough screening, mentoring and unique onboarding process ensures that only the most respectful, consent-focused and diversely inclusive people attend our events.’
But Mr Baenziger, who has run a business next to the proposed club for 34 years, believes it will have consequences for both his customers and his staff.
“Our clients come to our offices and they have to pass through this place,” he said. “We’re concerned about noise. We’re concerned about waste management. We’re concerned about our young female employees.
“We’re very concerned, especially in the winter months when it gets dark early and they’re having to walk to their cars. It’s not great as it is now, but you know, to have a location like this next door, it’s not fantastic.”
Despite 33 written objections from local residents, Port Phillip City Council approved the opening of the swingers club.
Mr Baenziger has filed a lawsuit in the Victoria Civil and Administrative Court in a last-ditch attempt to stop the club.
One major detail that has angered local parents is that the club will be located on a popular street where children walk to get to the local primary school.
“There are a lot of kids who walk. Their parents walk them to school and they walk past our office, which means they have to walk past this place,” Mr. Baenziger said.
The venue describes itself as Melbourne’s best adult playground
More than 120 people have signed an online petition to stop the swingers club from opening
Mr Baenziger hopes VCAT will prevent the sex club from opening after hearing the community’s objections
“It’s an area that we think is better suited to family-friendly, and even people-friendly, businesses.”
More than 120 people have signed an online petition to stop the bar from opening.
“This location is completely unsuitable for such a location, given its proximity to residential areas, schools and family businesses,” the report said.
‘Despite the many objections from local residents and businesses, the council has granted a permit that does not take into account the character and values of our neighbourhood and what the area should strive for in the future.’
Mr Baenziger hopes VCAT will block the opening of the swingers club after hearing the community’s concerns.
“The world has gone crazy,” he said. “These places used to be all in the back blocks of industrial areas. Now you can put them almost anywhere.”
Pineapples Lifestyle Bar has been contacted for comment.