Bacchanalia Cabaret

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Bacchanalia Cabaret

905 Esquimalt Rd Victoria BC

Located at the corner of Esquimalt and Head St.
In the picture is (L) Ron Wright and (R) Steve Harris
Owner: Ron Wright from 1973-1977

It was a restaurant with an entertainment extension liquor license and originally opened as a supper club for dining and dancing. Owner of the building leased it out but the format was dated by this era. Five different lessee's went broke over the years before I got involved. I met the building's owner Randy Sprague while having a drink in a lounge, he had just come from locking up the venue after the latest tenant bailed. We started talking and I pointed out that the concept was old and rock for a younger clientele would work better. We drove out to Esquimalt to see the place and I made a deal on the spot. The rest is history. The liquor license was in my mother’s name (Shirley Herman) for obvious reasons, given the community attitudes towards Hippies at that particular time! We opened 2 weeks later and within a couple of months became Victoria's premier live venue. We also served a businessman's lunch with steaks & strippers and were the first in Victoria to have "Ladies Nights". Problem was that it was in the middle of a residential neighborhood and when they issued the the liquor license they never envisioned noisy rock + roll or lineups to get in, even on Tuesday nights. As success evolved, the local city fathers and police department did everything in their powers to shut us down (unsuccessfully). Fought them for over 3 years but eventually burned out and made a deal with the liquor licensing department to voluntarily turn in the liquor license in return for the guarantee of a new license to be issued at a more appropriate location should I apply for one and that is historical facts for Victoria's best rock and roll party. Ron Wright Venues >> Music Venue

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Venue Specs

Liquor LicenseLicensed (minors allowed)

RentableNo

Has Sound / LightingNo

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