Dry Dock Hotel proposed gaming to 4am raises concerns for neighbours

The creation of a new pub that would offer pokies until 4am has sparked concerns about how increased gambling access would affect the surrounding community.

A Tweed Heads caravan park resident across the road from where a $6.05 million tavern is proposed to be built says people in his community don’t need late night access to poker machines.

Colin Sharp, who lives in the Colonial Caravan Park on Fraser Drive, said there were enough pubs and clubs in the area and there didn’t need to be more.

A development application for the Dry Dock Hotel has been lodged with Tweed Shire Council.

If approved it would feature a food and drink premises with associated bottle shop drive thru and signage with hours of operation from 9am to midnight for the bar, tavern and bottle shop and 9am to 4am for the TAB and gaming.

Colonial Tweed Holiday and Home Park resident Colin Sharp outside his home across the road from the proposed site for the Dry Dock Hotel. Picture: Matt Roberts

“There’s enough people losing their money on gambling as it is,” Mr Sharp said.

“I had a mate who lost his house over gambling.

“I’m dead against it.”

He said close by venues such as the Club Banora, Twin Towns and Club Tweed already provided enough service to the area.

“It’s just getting too much,” he said.

“Once you start having those sorts of hours, four o’clock in the morning, 12 o’clock, you’re going to get the young guys drinking like hell, gambling like hell and they’re going to leave the pub making lots of noise.

“Why should I be disturbed at 80-years-old by someone who’s just making money?”

Mormatsal Investments Pty Ltd has proposed $6 million worth of works to create a new waterfront pub at 14 Fraser Drive, Tweed Heads South.

The new pub proposal is being driven by Mormatsal Investments Pty Ltd, which is co-directed by Taphouse Group managing director David Mattick.

It was recommended for approval at the latest council meeting.

However approval was delayed when councillor Katie Milne noted the developer had not completed the social impact statement to the degree requested by the community services unit.

Councillors then voted in favour of requiring the developer to provide a proper social impact assessment, provide options for permeable paving, to substitute the astroturf and to enhance the environmental outcomes for the lake.

Mayor Chris Cherry said there were concerns the pub’s proximity to a number of caravan parks could have a negative social impact on some of the region’s most vulnerable residents.

Tweed Shire Council Mayor Chris Cherry has concerns about the proximity of a proposed tavern to some of the region’s most vulnerable residents. Picture: Matt Roberts.

“In any place it goes into we need to think about what impact it will have and whether that’s something we want to support,” Ms Cherry said.

“It was identified by the staff in the report that the area does have a lot of caravan parks and they are traditionally more vulnerable residents in the caravan parks.

“That was the concern there’s a lot of people here who don’t have a lot of income and don’t have a lot of spare cash.”

However she noted the success of Taphouse Group’s other businesses in the area, including the Kingscliff Hotel and Chinderah Tavern, saying that overall she was supportive of the development.

Colonial Caravan and Holiday Park manager Paula Forbes said the developers had worked well at keeping their residents informed throughout the development process.

Colonial Tweed Holiday and Home Park manager Paula Forbes. Picture: Matt Roberts

“They’ve showed us plans, told us all the aspects of it, gave us a letter we could give to all the residents that were on the boundary of that area,” Ms Forbes said.

“It started when it was bigger and we’ve had it updated and I’ve only had positive feedback.”

She did have some concerns that the gaming was proposed to be open until 4am.

“I know with Twin Towns up here they’ve gaming machines as well – (Dry Dock Hotel) shouldn’t be open any later than they are,” she said.

“I don’t have a problem with them having gaming, I just think 4am is a ridiculous time to be open until.”

Design plans for the Dry Dock Hotel.

Caravan park resident Michelle Woods similarly spoke in support of the development and reminisced fondly about when there was an aquatic club on the site where the pub would be built.

But she also had concerns about the gaming.

“I think it will be nice where it’s going to be, to be able to sit looking over the water,” Mrs Woods said.

“We used to go to the Aquatic club on a Sunday with our kids and it would be good if it was kid friendly.

“I just feel for the older people.”

The Taphouse Group and Mormatsal Investments were contacted however declined to comment.