A sold-out concert in Sydney has rallied support for iconic late-night restaurant Indian Home Diner which was in danger of closing down.
The Indian Home Diner on Paddington’s Oxford St – recently had their late-night trading hours reduced from 3am to midnight – and was the focus of a fundraising event attended by more than 500 revellers.
The “Rave to Save” gig was spun up in less than a week by Hello Social and Uber Eats in support of the popular restaurant with the goal of raising enough funds to help the owner lodge an appeal to have the new restricted trading hours overturned.
The six-hour celebration yielded the best night of trade for Indian Home Diner in two years and will almost certainly have a longer-lasting impact.
“I had my breath taken away when I first learned that the community wanted to help raise awareness of my struggle, but I’ve been left speechless by what’s come my way after the concert.
“To have over $10,000 passed onto me from the ticket sales to help fund my appeal to this DA is beyond my wildest imagination. I thought I may have to close but instead, now I am full of energy.
“With the help of Uber Eats and a town planner I can keep my small business dream ticking,” said Indian Home Diner owner Robert Chowdry, who confirmed he has already engaged a town planner and will use any leftover funds for marketing his restaurant.
Head of marketing at Uber Eats ANZ, David Griffiths, said: “For a decade Indian Home Diner has been supporting locals, on the weekend it was the community’s turn to support back.
“Seeing Robert embrace the crowd and proudly dispatch his delicious kebabs to the partygoers into the early hours was heartwarming.
“Like the hundreds who were there on Saturday, or the thousands who have shown their support online, Uber Eats will be cheering him all the way to the finish line helping him get his hours restored.”
The prospect of a positive outcome is gathering momentum with several local councillors indicating they heard the collective will of the people amplified on social media and at the event.
“The public outcry has been significant. A 5000-odd strong petition and a hugely successful Uber Eats Rave2Save Indian Home Diner over the weekend, show enormous public support for the venue’s cause. I also get the sense that this DA has become a lightning rod for wider frustration at the longer-term decline of inner Sydney nightlife.
“Sydneysiders broadly want governments to support local businesses and their nightlife because this is an important part of our social fabric,” said Woollahra Councillor Sean Carmichael.
The idea that the Indian Home Diner was a symbol for the night-time economy reawakening post the pandemic lockdowns was a sentiment echoed by Flight Facilities maestro Hugo Gruzman who was on the decks for the weekend’s fundraiser alongside household names Bag Raiders and Cosmo’s Midnight who also delivered sets.
“Saturday night’s party was a testament to a community who hugely appreciates the hard work it takes to run a small business. Having seen Sydney’s late nightlife get trampled on for years, Indian Home Diner has continued to be proof of an undeniable fact: Business after midnight is very much alive, and is essential to our city’s culture and people’s livelihoods,” said Gruzman.
The event was delivered by Hello Social who put together the artist lineup, garnered the support from the venue and other partners, managed the ticket sales, created the event artwork and delivered a compelling social narrative which saw the event sell out within 48 hours of being posted on the Uber Eats Instagram account.
“We saw the fight to save Indian Home Diner chatter erupt quickly on social media and knew it was a worthy cause. It’s important that brands do more than just advertise and connect with audiences through initiatives that align with their passions, emotions and values. This act clearly demonstrates Uber Eats has an enduring commitment to genuinely helping local restaurants. To pull off an event of this magnitude inside 7 days is a testament to the Hello Social and Uber Eats team. The response has been overwhelming and I’m proud this has not only delivered for our client but also a small business in our local community, ” said Managing Director Hello Social, Sam Kelly.
Alongside Uber Eats and Hello Social, partners of the Rave to Save event included Bondi Lines, The Unicorn Hotel, Better Beer, and Born Bred Talent.
