The Court Hotel

The Court Hotel is a gay and lesbian club at 50 Beaufort Street in Perth, Australia. Built in 1888 at the junction of Beaufort and James streets, the two-storey hotel has rendered street walls, chimneys and a pediment above its corner entrance. It has operated as a hotel since its construction. From around 1905, B. C. O’Brien ran the pub, and his family owned it until around 1950. Western Australia’s trade union movement used the hotel as an informal meeting place through much of the 20th century; Perth Trades Hall Inc. bought it in 1979. After Rodney John Kelly took ownership in 1992, it turned its focus to gay and lesbian customers. The venue has six bars and three dance floors, with drag shows and DJs among its programme. On the second level, the Verdict bar has a VOID sound system, DJ booth, stage and bar. The Beer Garden has a retractable roof. The hotel also has an exclusive-use function room with a capacity of 1,600. Its exterior retains a rainbow motif, and a mural made with community members and artist Jackson Harvey was unveiled in 2022. Boomtick has run events at The Court Hotel, where artists including Dillinja, Danny Byrd, Goldie and Basstripper have played. The venue has also hosted performers such as Melanie C, Artful Dodger, London Sound and RuPaul.