NORTHBRIDGE’S male sex-on-premise venue Perth Steam Works celebrated a major milestone at the end of September. On Saturday September 23 and Sunday September 24, Perth Steam Works reached its 10 year anniversary.

‘It’s a milestone which makes all of the staff here very, very proud,â? venue owner and proprietor Michael Chester told OUTinPerth.

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Perth Steam Works essentially provides local gay men with a safe and secure venue in which they can meet other men, and while it operates as a sex-on-premise venue Mr Chester was quick to point out that there is no obligation to have sex with anybody.

‘We promote a consensual environment. You can come up here just to hang out if you like,â? he said.

The venue also provides the WA AIDS Council with a space from which they can run their daily education and information room, plus operate a fortnightly sexual health clinic.

According to Mr Chester, Perth Steam Works has seen three major achievements since it first opened on September 20, 1996.

The first of these was surviving the first 12 months of operation, which is a time when nearly 75 per cent of new business’ fail. Added to that, the venue had to overcome the stigma of being a sex-on-premise venue, which made this initial achievement no mean feat.

‘The community as a whole kind of frowned upon the notion of us being an on sex premise, but now thankfully attitudes have changed,â? he said.

The second achievement occurred in 1999 when Perth Steam Works became the first sex-on-premise in Australia to apply for and be granted a liquor license, which not only became a coup for the business but also set a precedent under law.

They now operate as only one of two venues nationwide which can serve alcohol, the other sex-on-premise venue being Wet-On-Wellington in Melbourne.

The final achievement of Perth Steam Works was the 10 year anniversary, which Chester contributed to a constant innovation of the venue.

‘We’re always doing something to keep the venue fresh and interesting for our clientele, which I believe is one of the keys.â?

‘The patrons can see that their money is being put to good use and that they themselves are helping to reinvent the venue on a regular basis by frequenting it.â?