Newcastle's iconic Argyle House nightclub, formerly known as Fanny's, is set to be transformed into a luxury five-bedroom home following a development application to be submitted to the City of Newcastle this week.
The venue, located on Wharf Road, closed its doors on Boxing Day last year due to declining returns as a nightclub. Owners Russell Richardson and Greg Mathew, who also operate the King Street Hotel, purchased the property in 2011 and have renovated it twice over the past 14 years.
The development application proposes retaining the heritage-listed main building on the corner of Wharf Road and Argyle Street, while demolishing newer structures at the rear. The 1000-square-metre site will be converted into a sprawling home featuring five bedrooms each with an ensuite, two grassed courtyards, a 32-square-metre pool, a kitchen and dining area, a formal lounge, a library and study, a sauna and gym, and a three-car garage.
A grand entrance is planned, with a vestibule and hall that will reinstate the A.A. Co. (Australian Agricultural Company) office lettering over the doorway. The building was constructed around 1857 and served as the headquarters of the Australian Agricultural Company for nearly a century before being sold in the late 1960s.
Argyle House opened as Fanny's nightclub in 1984 and became a popular entertainment venue in the 1980s and 1990s, hosting acts such as Cold Chisel, Bay City Rollers, and Sneaky Sound System. The venue also made national headlines in December 2021 when two men with the Omicron variant of COVID-19 defied isolation orders and infected 55 per cent of attendees at a prom night event.
Mr Richardson said the decision to repurpose the site came after exploring various options, including high-rise apartments, which were abandoned due to heritage restrictions. He described the new residence as offering luxury, privacy, and convenience in the heart of the city.
