Live music bans at Albion Hotel’s new Parramatta Smith St location

One of Parramatta’s rowdiest pubs is welcome at its new location – as long as live entertainment is scrapped. The condition from a ‘bunch of killjoys’ has been blasted as ‘ridiculous’.

The Albion Hotel at Parramatta is known as a party pub.

Industry leaders - including the state’s night-time economy minister - have lambasted a recommendation to see live music banned at the new Albion Hotel when it reopens in Parramatta’s CBD, saying it lacks commonsense and the spot will remain a “cemetery” at night.

At a Parramatta planning panel meeting on Tuesday, members said Parramatta Council supported the relocation of the 141-year-old pub, which will cease trading at George St to make way for a massive unit complex.

But it can only reopen at 20 Smith St if a string of recommendations are met.

One of those conditions of consent included no live music or entertainment on the premises to protect the amenity of the neighbourhood.

At the meeting, Solotel founder Bruce Solomon, whose family bought the Albion in 1986, accepted the recommendations and wants the new pub to be “something of a positive nature for Parramatta that would reflect the commercial activities in the area”.

“We hope to be a good citizen of the Parramatta city as we have for the past 37 years,’’ he said.

Singers perform at the Albion Hotel, Parramatta, but live music won’t be permitted at the new home. Picture: Facebook

But Business Western Sydney executive director David Borger, who has been an advocate for developing the region’s night time economy, slammed the live music ban.

“I think it’s an outrageous nanny state decision,’’ he said.

“For God’s sake, western Sydney was pumping 30 years ago. We had Tracks, we had War and Peace (nightclubs), we had places in Fairfield that were pumping, we had live bands and government has closed it all down.’’

He said the Albion’s new location was perfect for live music.

“You’re in the middle of the commercial district of Parramatta so there’s no one to wake up, there’s no one to disturb, there’s no neighbours,’’ he said.

Throngs of clubbers flock to the Albion Hotel. Picture: Facebook

“These buildings are in the middle of an office district and you’re going to stop the music – what a bunch of killjoys they are to recommend this.

“There is no better place in western Sydney for live music than this intersection of Smith and George St. Smith and George only comes to life between Tuesday and Thursday between nine and five and the rest of the time it’s a cemetery.’’

Music and the Night-time Economy Minister John Graham said he was opposed to blanket music bans at licensed venues.

“This is ultimately a matter for the council which must balance the community’s wishes,’’ he said.

“But I am opposed to these blanket music bans in liquor licences - and I don’t believe they should be a part of a council development application.

“There should be a more commonsense approach to this one.”

The pub will accommodate 1550 patrons, 34 staff and occupy the first two floors of the eight-storey office building.

It will operate 24 hours every day except Sunday and public holidays when it will open from 5am to midnight but hours will be reviewed after the first 12 months.

The hours will also depend on the council adopting its late night trading development control plan.

What the new Albion Hotel will look like.

The conditions will be imposed despite the Collector Hotel in the same neighbourhood hosting bands at its George St venue.

This publication understands the Albion will continue trading at its original location until the new premises open next year. The new watering hole will feature a lounge and dining areas, four outdoor terraces and a nightclub on level one with a club mezzanine on the second level.

Solotel did not comment further about the live music ban.

It operates a slew of pubs across Sydney including the Golden Sheaf at Double Bay, the Bank Hotel at Newtown and the Opera Bar at Circular Quay.

The Albion will be another casualty of Parramatta’s rapid development and will be replaced with a two-tower complex containing 405 apartments.

The result is another devastating blow for lovers of Parramatta’s traditional pubs, including the Royal Oak Hotel which faced its demise in 2020 to make way for the controversial light rail.

It was recently revealed the government conceded it did not require the 207-year-old pub to be bulldozed because it was on “surplus land”.

The Parramatta local planning panel is expected to deliver its decision about the Albion Hotel next week.