Port Adelaide hotel owners pushing for live music, arts revival

With venues closing at an alarming rate in SA, one community is banding together to revive the dying live music industry and showcase the arts.

15th February, 2022: BarflyÕs manager Mark Barton, super fan Sparky and owner Ash Coulls at the British Hotel in Port Adelaide is leading the charge to revive live music and boost pubs in the area. Picture: Kelly Barnes

As more pubs and venues across South Australia close and battle rising overheads, a group of businesses have banded together to revive the dying live music industry and showcase the arts.

Live music is undergoing a revival in Port Adelaide with local pubs determined to reverse the tide of waning patron numbers and venue closures.

A new hospitality collective is driving the initiative to transform how the suburb is perceived and draw visitors in, while showcasing the area’s artistic arsenal.

Ash Coulls, super fan Sparky and Barflyz manager Mark Mark Barton at the British Hotel in Port Adelaide. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Businesses include the Commercial and British hotels, Port Admiral, Banksia Tree Cafe and Fergie Mac’s, as well as Mash Cafe, Studio 99 and Confession.

In what one business owner described as a historic effort, the collective is lining up the events for Port Adelaide with a focus on live music.

British Hotel Port Adelaide owner and licensee Ash Coulls reintroduced live music nights once a month at the historic venue, hosting notable South Australian band The Barflyz on Saturday, February 17.

It follows January’s instalment and he’s again expecting big crowds on the weekend.

“We’re trying to make the most of it, or at least give it a go,” he said.

“I’d like to say the floodgates are open and people galore are coming through but it has been a fairly slow start to the year.

“But if we can bring events and bring live music, and a few different things, it can only be a good thing.”

The British Hotel Port is leading the charge to revive live music and boost pubs in the area. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Mr Coulls said he believed Port Adelaide was transforming as its traditional demographic changes.

Once a “working man’s area”, he said residential developments and changing workforces had likewise changed the general demographics.

“It has changed over the last five years,” he said.

“A pub on every corner, it was rough, you didn’t really walk the streets at night – it was a completely different era.

“Now, more people are moving down this way so get amongst it.”

Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron in Outer Harbor which, while having a captive audience with cruise ship arrivals, is tapping into the wider South Australian patronage market.

“We’ve had live music once a month during summer last year, and we’re going to twice a month this coming summer,” hospitality manager Steve Bulach said.

“We’re trying to get a little bit of atmosphere and something to help generate a little bit of business here.”

Barflyz super fan Sparky with his inked ode to the band he has followed, with band manager Mark Barton (left) and British Hotel Port Adelaide licensee Ash Coulls. Picture: Kelly Barnes

The venue, about 600m from the cruise ship terminal, has been involved in several community fairs driving visitation to the region.

While it targeted ship passengers, Mr Bulach said it had a “huge local community” engagement that would be a focus in future events.

Port Admiral publican Simone Douglas said the Port’s hospitality group was developed to showcase the area to a broader market.

“I think this is probably the first time in history a significant number of hospitality venues has banded together with a single purpose,” she said.

“If Covid taught me anything it is the power of group effort.

“The idea being we’re going to be running a series of annual events designed to drive visitation to showcase how amazing the place can be.”

Last weekend’s Summer Playlist event boosted several venues across Port Adelaide, with traders hopeful it will be repeated this weekend with council-led New Found Sound.

The group’s next major event is planned for June with the Dark Tides festival (a working title) for the winter solstice that will include the collectives’ venues hosting live music and art installations ranging from family friendly to more adults only.

“At the end of the day, the Port is changing and evolving, it is meeting a different kind of demand from its customers and we’re very big on giving the rest of South Australia a reason to come here,” she said.

Port Adelaide Enfield council mayor Claire Boan said the Creative Port Plan was a “blueprint for how we are working to revive” Port Adelaide as an arts and music hub in the state.

“We’re cranking up the volume on opportunity. The council’s role is not just enabling live music but harmonising industry partners, musicians, and businesses, creating a symphony of success in Port Adelaide,” she said.

“Our commitment is not just about music; it’s about building a stage for local businesses to shine.

“We’re empowering them to lead the way in bringing live music to the community.

“Events like New Found Sound happening on Saturday, were created through partnerships with key organisations including the Live Music Office, APRA AMCOS and local businesses.”