Arson charge over floating nightclub blaze
A man has been charged with arson over a blaze that destroyed a floating nightclub.
ATET nightclub went up in flames at Docklands, in inner Melbourne, in the early hours of January 31, 2023.
The disco ball and main bar were spared but most of the furniture was burnt beyond recognition, while plastic roofing was left dripping from the ceiling.
Police charged a 32-year-old man from Lalor, in Melbourne’s north, on Sunday with arson and possessing methylamphetamine.
He was previously arrested in April 2024 and is due to face court on August 19.
The blaze broke out months after the venue opened to noise complaints from residents in nearby apartment complexes, however, owner Jake Hughes said criticism died down once music was lowered to within Environmental Protection Authority guidelines.
Mr Hughes quit his job as an architect and spent six years turning a barge into a venue modelled on nightclub boats popular in Europe.
Melbourne City Council withdrew ATET’s crown land licence within six months of the fire.
Former Lord Mayor Sally Capp at the time said the council received a record number of complaints about its impact on the local area and held a community information session to hear concerns.
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