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Terrigal Beach Bar: House of Pocket lodge DA to open bar on Terrigal Beach

Imagine sipping cocktails with your feet in the sand at Terrigal. A pop up bar is on the cards at the popular beach this summer — and it is set to offer a number of exciting features for patrons to look forward to.

Impression of the House of Pocket's Beach Bar in the pipeline for Terrigal Beach.
Impression of the House of Pocket's Beach Bar in the pipeline for Terrigal Beach.

A section of Terrigal Beach could be transformed into a beach bar over summer with free entry, live music and food delivery.

House of Pocket, owners of the Pocket Bar in Terrigal, has lodge a DA to Central Coast Council for a temporary beach bar at the popular tourist beach.

The bar will be located to the north of the beach, about 15m past Terrigal Surf Life Saving Club’s carpark service ramp and cover an area of 12 x 25sq m.

The bar is proposed about 15m north of the surf club carpark ramp. Picture: Troy Snook
The bar is proposed about 15m north of the surf club carpark ramp. Picture: Troy Snook

House of Pocket chief executive officer Karl Schlothauer said the DA was going through the council process. He described the proposal as a temporary pop up bar which Pocket Bar staff would set up and pack away each day.

“It would run from 12pm to sunset and how many days a week would depend on council,” he said.

“We are hoping to seat 74 and would rope off an area with groups of four. The area we have chosen is away from the flags and in a spot which is hardly used. The impact to local amenities would be minimal.”

House of Pocket chief executive officer Karl Schlothauer
House of Pocket chief executive officer Karl Schlothauer
Pocket Bar Terrigal is a popular venue in Terrigal. Picture: Sue Graham
Pocket Bar Terrigal is a popular venue in Terrigal. Picture: Sue Graham

Mr Schlothauer said beach bars were popular overseas, with very few in Australia. Two of the most well known in Australia are the Moseley Beach Club in Adelaide and The Beach Shack at Kewarra Beach Resort in Cairns.

“With no one going overseas at the moment, why not bring the best bits of overseas here,” Mr Schlothauer said.

“In a time where a lot of people are thinking differently it’s a great opportunity to reposition how the coast is thought of at the moment.”

The bar would have free entry and work under the same rules as Pocket Bar in terms of COVID-19 and the two hour limit. There are also plans to partner up with live musicians, as well as local businesses in terms of food delivery to the bar.

When Pocket Bar Terrigal posted the proposal on social media, it attracted more than 1300 comments.

The Moseley Beach Club is a popular beach bar in South Australia. Picture: Matt Turner
The Moseley Beach Club is a popular beach bar in South Australia. Picture: Matt Turner
The location, just north of this location, was chosen as it is a quiet part of the beach. Picture: Troy Snook
The location, just north of this location, was chosen as it is a quiet part of the beach. Picture: Troy Snook

“Ninety per cent of those were positive,” Mr Schlothauer said.

“Some of the concerns were about privatising the beach and potential drunk people going swimming. Those are also our concerns and the issues we are working through. The last thing we want is to jeopardise community safety.”

He said the bar would not operate during any big carnivals or market events on the beach and would work in with the surf club in terms of surf hazards and weather conditions.

“If there are any hazards or big tides, we will go on the advice of the surf club,” he said.

“At the end of the day if it turns out that it’s not suitable for a bar or there are any major issues, we will just cancel it.”

Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/central-coast/terrigal-beach-bar-house-of-pocket-lodge-da-to-open-bar-on-terrigal-beach/news-story/fd3b74adb1ea956a4db138e351b0ef19