The Mean Fiddler in Rouse Hill cleans up its act and is taken off the NSW most violent venues list

FOR YEARS it has held the ignominious title of the state’s most violent pub but the time has finally come to take the “mean” out of The Mean Fiddler.

The Mean Fiddler

FOR YEARS it has held the ignominious title of the state’s most violent pub but the time has finally come to take the “mean” out of The Mean Fiddler.

The notorious hotel in Rouse Hill has changed its name to The Fiddler and by the time its redesign is completed, it will be on its way to being taken off the NSW violent venues list.

When the list was introduced in 2008, The Mean Fiddler, as it was then known, shot up to first place — clocking a chilling 73 incidents in a year.

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The scheme punishes venues with extra license restrictions — like no glasses after midnight and extra security — when they have more than 12 violent incidents in a year.

From 2008 to 2011 The Mean Fiddler retained the dubious honour of being either the most or second most violent place to get a drink in NSW.

TOP 5 MOST VIOLENT VENUES IN SYDNEY

* Ivy, Sydney, 24 violent incidents
* The Macarthur Tavern, 24
* Roxy Hotel, Parramatta, 21
* Oneworld Bar, Parramatta, 17
* World Bar, Potts Point, 17

It remains on the list to this day, but closer to the bottom and as of December it will be gone altogether.

The pub received a letter from the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing informing it that due to the low number of incidents, it can be removed from the violent list.

Brad Jenkins, general manager of the group that runs the pub, said a combination of increased enforcement, new staff, and a complete redesign has helped change the culture of the pub — as has self-imposed lockouts, carpark security patrols and courtesy buses.

“When the (violent venue scheme) started, we were a bit slow in responding — by our own admission,” Mr Jenkins said.

“We were probably too focused on whether the system was fair or not rather than hooking in and meeting what the community wanted.”

The pub which ran its business as a rowdy suburban nightclub, has also reduced its nightclub component from 80 per cent to 10 per cent.

Fiona King, from Blacktown, has a teenage son who has told her he wants to go out to The Fiddler with his friends.

“I’ve got a son who is 18 now and he is actually coming here on Friday,” the 45-year-old said.

“So I don’t have to worry now do I, (but) I was aware that it was just rough,” she said.

However Ms King’s own experiences coming to the Irish pub have always been positive.

“The last time I was here in August there were no dramas and only a few weeks before that again no dramas. (But) The few times I have been here it has not been packed.”

Nick Couper, 40, from Newcastle, made his first visit to the venue this week and said it had great atmosphere.

“The big beer garden is great,” he said.

And the change in atmosphere could save the company money — the government’s new risk-based licensing scheme introduced this financial year slugs venues up to $24,500 based on their location and history of violence.