North Coast Community Church development proposal for Oxford Hotel pub site at 159 Walker St, Casino

A shuttered northern NSW watering hole could soon become a Pentecostal church space with a restaurant and community area. See what’s been pitched.

Casino’s former Oxford Hotel could soon be home to a church.

A Pentecostal church in northern NSW has revealed its plans to transform an old pub into a new church and community space.

The North Coast Community Church has lodged plans with Richmond Valley Council to turn 159 Walker St, Casino, the site of the closed Oxford Hotel, into a new base for its roughly 60 parishioners.

The church’s plans come after disruptions due to floods and Covid pandemic restrictions.

The proposed site of the North Coast Community Church (in red).

If approved, the 1024 square metre site on the corner of Walker and North streets would drastically change.

It comes after the pub shut its doors in 2021.

An auditorium is planned, as well as a games area featuring table tennis, pool and darts.

The existing kitchen and dining area would be used for a new cafe or restaurant.

The current bar at Casino’s Oxford Hotel.

Planning documents state the restaurant would not serve alcohol and would operate for the church, but that community services may be provided

“The area will be used by the congregation to hold meals as a group … (it will also) offer services similar to a community kitchen, where volunteers will cook meals for community members who may be struggling for a gold coin donation, or nothing at all,” plans state.

The planned changes to the ground floor layout.

Plans also include a new meeting room, storage shed and office space. It is unclear what will happen to the first floor of the building.

The church’s proposed hours of worship are between 9am and 1pm on Sundays.

There would be weekly youth meetings and the cafe would be open from 9am to 3pm, Monday to Sunday.

Submissions on the proposal can be lodged with the council until December 6.