The future of a notorious late-night venue in Prahran appears in doubt following a crackdown by police and the Victorian Liquor Commission over a series of brawls, firearms incidents and alleged licensing breaches. Love Machine nightclub has been closed for three of the past four weekends, after management allegedly failed to notify liquor licensing authorities that it had temporarily appointed a new director of Sterling Nightclubs Pty Ltd, which owns the problem-plagued venue. The outside of Love Machine nightclub on Malvern Road in August. Credit: Joe ArmaoThe company also faced separate enforcement action in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court last week, when Liquor Control Victoria accused the club’s operators of further licensing breaches from last year. The venue, according to charge sheets, failed to provide information about its patrons in May 2024, while also allegedly exceeding its permitted patron capacity in April 2024.