Adelaide City Council votes to petition Premier Peter Malinauskas over development to Crown & Anchor Hotel

Live music fans packed out the Adelaide City Council public gallery to demand protection of the beloved Crown & Anchor hotel – and celebrated a big win.

Live music fans have packed out Adelaide City Council’s public gallery to demand protection of the imperilled Crown & Anchor hotel.

Council voted on Tuesday night to write to the premier “expressing concerns about the potential loss of a key live music venue”.

The letter will also request that the state government work with council to protect art, social and cultural institutions within the planning and design code.

The meeting was attended by members of the grassroots Save the Cranker group, which formed following the revelation of controversial development plans.

Spectators were asked to dress as you would to attend the Crown and Anchor for the Tuesday night meeting. Picture Dean Martin

Organiser, Patrick Maher (R) and supporter Peter Lawson were among the people there in support of the motion put forward by Councillor Keiran Snape. Picture Dean Martin

City resident Peter Lawson said the Cranker was historically significant as a live music venue.

“We’re losing so much history within our cities … what we’ve got we’ve got to retain,” he said.

“We know of quite a few bands that have got their start there.”

Patrick Maher, one of the group organisers, said the Cranker also plays an important role within the community.

“Everyone’s talking about the live music, and of course that’s one of the bigger issues, but it’s just a pub as well,” he said.

“You can just go there, you can sit at the bar, you can chat with the bartender, you can chat with whoever you happen to be sitting next to, you can play pool with anybody. It’s a really welcoming space for all demographics.”

As previously reported, nearly 16,000 people have signed an online petition to “Save the Cranker” from being closed down as a gig venue, as pressure mounts on the state government to intervene over controversial development plans.

Traction is mounting online as live music fans rally to protect the beloved venue, with a dedicated ‘Save The Cranker’ Facebook group now garnering more than 6500 supporters.

As revealed by The Advertiser, Singapore-based purpose-built student accommodation developer Wee Hur Holdings Ltd has lodged plans for multistorey student accommodation for the Grenfell St venue.

The heritage-listed, Victorian-era building cannot be knocked down, but the proposed “partial demolition and adaptive reuse” of the site has thrown the pub’s business operations into doubt.

Thousands have petitioned to save iconic live music venue the Crown & Anchor after it was revealed its future was under threat.

On Wednesday, Greens MLC Robert Simms will move for the Malinauskas government to formally oppose any demolition of the ‘Cranker’ in a submission to the State Commission Assessment Panel, which will determine whether to grant planning consent for the project.

The Greens will also propose an overhaul of the state’s planning laws to consider “cultural and social value” in development assessment for heritage sites such as the Crown & Anchor.

Mr Simms said the 171-year-old venue had been part of SA’s story for generations and called for the government to “plug the gap” when it came to protecting the state’s cultural heritage.

Premier Peter Malinauskas, and Adelaide Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Emma Brasier

Greens MLC Robert Simms has urged the state government to step in and secure the venue’s future. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Morgan Sette

“It’s clear that our state heritage laws don’t go far enough in terms of recognising the cultural and social value of heritage sites, like the Cranker,” he said.

“This isn’t just about bricks and mortar, it’s about the beating heart of our city.

“I know the premier is passionate about putting Adelaide on the map, but he should remember that a city without historic pubs and live music venues like the Cranker is at risk of being known more for tumbleweeds than events.”

In the wake of the development application, the Crown & Anchor’s proprietor Tom Skipper warned that venues like the ‘Cranker’ must be preserved so “the next generation of Australian musos can get their start”.

Originally published as Adelaide City Council votes to petition Premier Peter Malinauskas over development to Crown & Anchor Hotel