And another thing ...

At the risk of being boring about the campaign to save the Regent Theatre in Brisbane, I've been thinking critically about one of the big arguments being peddled by the developers (and certain elected officials): that the development will revitalise the CBD. By that they mean it'll bring in some more office workers during daylight hours. They may or may not buy their lunch and have an after-work beer on a Friday, but otherwise they wouldn't do a heck of a lot for the CBD before they scurry off to their suburban homes. I'd argue that a restored live theatre that could bring up to 2000 people a night into the mall would do much more to create economic and social benefits for inner Brisbane. After dark, the CBD is becoming something of a no-go zone for many people. It is seen, rightly or wrongly, as a haven for skateboarding louts and drunken denizens of unsavoury bars. Bring in some relatively well-heeled theatre patrons, and that could all change. If I were running the cafes, restaurants, hotels and smart bars of inner Brisbane, I'd welcome them with open arms.