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 Our History

Universal’s humble beginnings span back to the 1970’s when Oxford Street was quickly becoming a social-centre for LGBTQI+ people. A small discotheque sat on the site named Club 85 hailed as “ ... the most glamorous new nightclub on the strip’, ‘packed to the rafters with Oxford Street’s new men from the day it opened’. Tragically Club 85 fell victim to one of the many homophobic arson attacks hitting gay venues at this time. With the interior completely destroyed it wasn’t until 1981 that a new venue appeared on this site with the now iconic name – The Midnight Shift. The Midnight shift was a hub for queer people to meet, dance and party!

The Australian drag scene at the time was very underground, as the Australian landscape was still hostile to queer people. But nothing could stop the community’s strength and determination following the first Mardi Gras protest in 1978 which would quickly become that vehicle for the queer Sydney we know today. Through the 1990’s The Midnight Shift saw a boom as drag became more accepted thanks to films such as Priscilla Queen of the Desert showing that campy and larger than life drag the world has come to know Australia for.

Changing ownership a few times The Midnight Shift, at the time simply The Shift, closed its doors in 2017 impacted by the Sydney Lockout Laws and an array of other factors. In 2018 it was announced that Universal Hotels would be purchasing the venue with the vision to create a space that everyone could feel home in, regardless of race, sexuality or gender identity. With this vision in mind Universal was born. Since opening our doors our pink and gold tiled wall and neon wings have been synonymous with the Sydney Queer Scene boasting a state of the art superclub on the upstairs level and a fabulous drag bar on the ground level.