Odd Culture Group will take over the operations of LGBTQIA+ venue The Imperial Erskineville from September, in partnership with current owners Universal Hotels. Odd Culture Group Founder and Director James Thorpe says The Imperial has spent more than 40 years helping to shape Sydney’s queer culture. The partnership with Universal Hotels (Universal, The Oxford, The Riley) for the Impy highlights the groups’ aligned confidence in preserving the cultural expression of queer nightlife. He says both Odd Culture and Universal Hotels understand that queer venues are living cultural institutions. Partnering with Odd Culture Group will ensure that happens – we’re impressed with their ambition, and confident that we can work together to bring it to life.”