Bar1 Hillarys: Infamous Perth nightclub reopens after major renovation

Bar1 is set to clean up past sins dating back 30 years to boost its reputation when it reopens this Saturday.

Hillary’s Nightclub drew attention by posting an ad photo of a bird skeleton surrounded by a large hollow, large mound of dirt and dust.

Malcolm Pages, the venue’s seven-year owner, sidestepped responsibility for the grave discovery, saying he knew the birds had been placed in their graves long before he took over.

“(The birds) have been there for about 30 years,” he said.

“My friend David, who originally did the installation when he was a navigator, installed something like a fake pole through which fixtures and lighting cables pass.

“Those little birds probably nested there, or flew there, got trapped, and stayed there for 30 years.

“They were trapped inside like very thick cardboard posts, so I’m not sure. You may have smelled it, or you may not have.”

The suburban location, rebranded from its previous name, Bar120, will reopen this Saturday night after closing for renovations earlier this month.

Home to the likes of Neyo, Nelly and Darude, the club has been popular with young punters over its 30-year history and has charmed older crowds with performances like last month’s tribute band Don’t Change — Ultimate INXS .

But that reboot will see if it can shake its reputation as a hangout for young Eschay and other unruly characters.

Page has had some issues under the venue’s past owners, but these days 18-year-olds expect more from nightlife than ever before, which has led him to a “massive upgrade.” ‘, he said.

“It was really late to do the facelift,” he said.

“The technology available in bars and nightclubs has changed a lot and I have seen great things all over Europe that I wanted to bring to Perth.

“A lot of things have changed, kids have changed, and we expect different things from each new group of 18-year-olds.

“Everything that has been installed in the last few weeks is up to date. A lot of it is not available in any nightclub in Australia that I know of.”

New features include “nightclub-specific holograms” installed throughout the venue, new flooring, bar, seating, and bathroom fixtures.

Explaining the cryptic progress photos he shared on the bar’s social media platforms, Page said the “Mexican prison sink” wasn’t an exaggeration.

“In the men’s restroom, we try to keep our sinks unbreakable, so we found a company that makes sunken washbasins for Mexican prisons, stainless steel washbasins.