Central Coast’s trendiest new bar has a cracking history
LONG Jetty is already known for its trendy cafes and artisan shops and now it can lay claim to the Central Coast’s swankiest new bar.
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LONG Jetty is already known for its trendy cafes and artisan shops.
And now it can lay claim to the Central Coast’s swankiest new bar, which has breathed fresh life into a long forgotten theatre.
Built by hardware store owner Richard Wain, The Savoy Theatre opened on May 8, 1956, at what was then 391 Gosford Rd.
It was not smooth sailing for Mr Wain who encountered objections from Ron Brennan, the owner of The Entrance Theatre and a Mr N Toyer who owned the Royal Theatre at nearby Killarney Vale.
In an article about The Savoy’s grand opening night, The Guardian newspaper said the luxury theatre “marked the passing of yet another milestone in the rapid expansion and growth of Long Jetty”.
At the time Gosford State Liberal MP Harold Jackson said it was the first time he had ever opened a theatre while “patrons expressed pleasure at the comfortable appointments and artistic decoration” of the 840-seat theatre, which featured a mezzanine level and was the first on the Coast to boast CinemaScope.
“Ten years ago, said Mr Jackson, the project would have been considered impossible, but the faith and tenacity of Mr Wain had succeeded,” The Guardian reported.
It’s opening feature was the classic Love is a Many-Splendored Thing starring William Holden and Jennifer Jones.
It featured a concession stand upstairs and leased out the downstairs corner for a Rite-way supermarket.
The theatre operated for the next two decades, screening everything from Hollywood classics to Australian surf films until it became financially unviable and closed in 1976.
The building was eventually purchased by the May family, which runs Long Jetty Pawnbrokers downstairs, with the theatre remaining dormant for some 40 years.
Two years ago Ben Pearce and his brother-in-law Guy Sullivan approached their childhood mates Tyson and Matthew May, with an idea to turn the mezzanine and concession level into a bar.
“When I walked in here two years ago, in September 2016, it was literally a pigeon infested nest,” Mr Pearce said.
Before embarking on a massive renovation, he said they took samples of the interior and had them colour-matched to retain the heritage listed building’s original “art deco colour scheme”.
The original balustrade was brought up to modern safety standards and he said they even managed to salvage the theatre’s original light fittings.
Mr Pearce said many of the original floor joists were repurposed for the bar top, tables and the woodwork in the vintage-styled amenities.
The Coast’s newest bar held a low-key opening last Friday night but after so much work Mr Pearce is “just happy we can start showing it to people”.
The bar will be open seven days with a focus on craft beers, signature cocktails, share plates and pizzas.
Mr Pearce said The Savoy featured table service and would screen old “throw back” movies, between DJ sets, live music and other entertainment.
