The one thing missing from Sydney’s pub scene according to Odd Culture’s James Thorpe

Sydney’s hospitality scene is sorely missing one thing, so goes the diagnosis of a young pub owner with five alternative venues under his belt.

Sydney’s hospitality scene is lacking in dive bars believes pub owner James Thorpe.

At 32 years of age, Thorpe, a philosophy academic, is disrupting Sydney’s pub scene with his group, Odd Culture and bringing back the dive bar.

With five properties in their portfolio, including Woolloomooloo’s The Old Fitz and Odd Culture Newtown, Odd Culture has become known for its focus on inclusive and ­diverse brands as well as a lack of poker machines in their venues.

“Sydney doesn’t have a lot of dive pubs. The unpretentious, salt of the earth venues,” he said. “But they are the sorts of venues I’m attracted to.”

Thorpe, who studied philosophy and metaphysics fell in love with the industry while working as a ‘glassy’ to pay rent.

32-year-old philosophy graduate and Odd Culture pub group owner James Thorpe. Picture: Damian Shaw

After graduating with honours in 2012, Thorpe had an offer to do a PHD at the prestigious Oxford University in the UK. However he turned it down to become a cellar manager at a pub in the city.

After working his way into senior management, Thorpe took a loan out to buy Darlinghurst’s The Taphouse and started Odd Culture. Last month, the group relaunched famous Petersham haunt, The Oxford Tavern.

The Oxford Tavern in Petersham during its facelift reveal event. Picture: Damian Shaw

The J.J Geary Trio play at the newly refurbished Oxford Tavern. Picture: Damian Shaw

Thorpe said the venue was one he went to when he was younger and declared it to be a venue he’d love to own.

“When we bought the pub we were never going to do a whitewash fit out. That’s not our style. We’ve kept the character because that’s the reason we bought it.

“It’s still the home of the steamy late night, it’s just a little cleaner and the kitchen is bigger.”

Thorpe is glad he gave up on his path to academia.

“The offer for Oxford still stands and I thought I would finish that one day. But I’m still so in love with hospitality, even after everything the industry has been through in the last couple of years, that I’m here to stay. ”