Sydney pubs are in danger of disappearing making the city more anti-social as developers move in

IN the past three years alone time has been called permanently at more than 70 pubs — beer taps turned off, fridges emptied and bars shuttered forever — a trend historians, town planners and demographers say makes the city more anti-social and increases isolation of residents.

IN the past three years alone time has been called permanently at more than 70 pubs — beer taps turned off, fridges emptied and bars shuttered forever.

Social groups are warning the big money on offer from commercial developers for Sydney hotel properties and changing community habits means the Aussie corner pub is at risk of extinction.

It’s a trend that worries historians, town planners and demographers, who warn the death of the “local” makes the city more anti-social and increases isolation of residents.

“We are a tribal animal, we like to connect with other humans, and for a lot of people they do that in the pub in the evening,” Sydney University professor of Architecture, Design and Planning Peter Phibbs said.

“(Losing the local pub) takes a source of interaction away from the community. That’s not a good thing. Completely removing a community meeting place will not do much for the neighbourhood and quality of life.

“When the pub is very much a hub of the community then it can work as a bit of a community lounge room.”

Mark Burgess, Publican Danny Miles and Dennis Stokes at the Bells Hotel, Woolloomooloo. Picture: Justin Lloyd

The issue of fighting to preserve independent pubs — and their heritage value — has been in headlines lately as several communities rally behind popular watering holes.

The proposed sale of the Four in Hand in Paddington for a reported $6 million caused a massive public outcry.

It caused owners Public House Management Group to reconsider and enlist two agents to offload it either as residential property or as a pub. Competing agents Andrew Jolliffe and Gavin Rubinstein, the top two agents in Ray White’s international network, are both trying to sell it.

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The Unicorn in Paddington has been re-opened after a long fight.

The Australian Hotels Association said that only 18 new hotels have been approved in NSW since 2015. Meanwhile, more than 70 have closed.

Mr Jolliffe said old-school pubs fetch premium prices mainly because of “location, location, location”. “They’re typically located on corner sites on retail high streets or in very visual areas,” he said.

Social demographer Mark McCrindle said part of the issue was that consumerism and a generation more at ease shutting themselves off from the community meant the pub had lost part of its social value.

L-R: Publican Ferrie Oosterhoff, Angela Purnell, Clinton Thomas, chef Darrell Felstead, Michaela Gibiec, Marc Seymour, Tim Iliffe and Samantha Nicholson in the Wine Bar of the 3 Weeds Hotel in Rozelle. Picture: Chris Pavlich

Research he recently commissioned found only 19 per cent of respondents would choose the local pub or club as a gathering point. This compared to 39 per cent who nominated shopping centres.

“A lot of these institutions, including community centres and churches, aren’t as central to modern life,” he said.

But not everyone is willing to give in just yet. Danny Miles is sitting on a potential property goldmine, but he has no intention of selling the Bells Hotel in Woolloomooloo. The corner spot is home to one of the last family-run pubs in Sydney.

The Woolpack Hotel on the corner of George and Marsden Streets in Parramatta. Picture: Justin Sanson

Mr Miles has worked there since he was 14 and hopes one of his nieces or nephews will take over one day. “We have offers all the time,” he said. “All the brokers, at one stage or another, have come and knocked on the door.”

The 59-year-old boasts that the Bells is a “proper elbow on the bar” kind of pub.

“If you come into the pub more than three times everyone knows who you are and we know what beer you want,” he said. “I think that the community would be devastated if we sold, it would be such a loss. A lot of history would be gone.”

Gretel Palfrey and Patricia Gallaher enjoy a drink at the Royal Oak in Double Bay. Picture: Justin Lloyd

One of his customers — 56-year-old Mark Burgess — has been wetting his whistle at the pub for the past 25 years.

“It’s just really comfortable,” he said. “Most of the people that live around here don’t have big houses and this is like your lounge room. My dog is welcome and the kids can come here. It’s a mix of everyone from housing commissions to yacht owners.”

The inner west hub of Balmain and Rozelle is renowned for its thriving pub culture.

But even this historic area hasn’t been immune to closures. Dick’s Hotel was put on the market recently following the closures of the Town Hall Hotel and 132-year-old Exchange Hotel last year, both converted into commercial use. Property experts say Dick’s on Beattie St could sell for $10 million.

The Oatley Hotel in Oatley, Sydney.

Royal Hotels group manager Peter Tate said the small hotel group found itself in a unique position two years ago when it actually got to build a pub from scratch. Gregory Hills was a brand new suburb in southwestern Sydney near Camden and they consulted with council and residents on what they wanted the Gregory Hills Hotel to be.

“The pub definitely plays a major role in a community,” Mr Tate, whose company also runs Double Bay’s popular The Royal Oak, said. “It goes back to the tradition of the pub as a meeting place.”

The Old Fitzroy Theatre Hotel in Woolloomooloo.

Keep Sydney Open director Tyson Koh said communities had to fight to save institutions they cared about.

He organised at rally at the Four in Hand on Anzac Day, where residents held a protest and houses across from the pub were adorned with banners reading “Save the Four”.

He said he was “cautiously optimistic” the campaign will have a win.