Sydney pubs abandoning royal, railway and commercial names

Hipsters, pubs becoming restaurants and our fading love for the monarchy are behind a departure from traditional pub names the Royal, Commercial and Railway hotels.

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The Ladies Lounge and main bars where women could not enter are long gone, and now another shared trait of NSW’s pubs is being slowly consigned to history — their names.

Royal Hotel is still the most common pub name in NSW — and Australia — but it, along with the almost as popular Commercial Hotel and Railway Hotel names, are being rejected in favour of the quirky and unique.

And historians and publicans are blaming hipsters, the pub as de facto restaurant and our fading connection with the British monarchy.

The Royal Hotel in Wyong, circa 1924. Picture: Australian National University

Since 1998 there has not been a single existing pub name repeated in another pub in NSW, new figures from NSW Liquor and Gaming reveals.

It’s a marked contrast to last century when a small number of popular names ruled.

Lilly Hatwell and Jared Comerford at the Royal Hotel in Paddington. Picture: Chris Pavlich

The Royal Hotel in Paddington was originally named in 1888. Picture: Chris Pavlich

The only time a pub has taken on an existing name was when the Merino Hotel in Camden reverted after many years to its original name of Royal Hotel Camden in December 2015.

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In place of traditional names have been idiosyncratic monikers like The Locker Room Hotel, The Midnight Special and The Savoy Long Jetty.

“Royal Hotels were popular and show Australia’s imperial links to England and links with the monarchy,” La Trobe University historian Dr Tanja Luckins, co-author of book The Australian Pub, said.

“They also indicated a publican’s desire to attract a well-to-do customer.

“Country towns invariably had a Commercial Hotel, which is where commercial travellers would stay and display their wares.”

The Royal Hotel at Bondi. The name of the pub is still the most popular in NSW.

Dr Luckins said in the 21st century we are less likely to see a new Royal Hotel.

“We are more likely to see a Welder’s Dog and Thirsty Crow, as craft breweries are fashionable and publicans like to add an artisan flavour to their establishment — as well as have bar staff who look like hipsters,” she said.

“Similarly, many pubs have adapted to changing licensing laws and have become dining establishments rather than just drinking holes.”

Regional NSW is over-represented in the list of Royal Hotels, accounting for 79 of the 88 hotels currently licensed with the name.

The late 1950s was the Royal’s golden age, according to NSW Liquor and Gaming, with 43 new Royal Hotels licensed between 1958 and 1960.

Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello said: “The figures show just how much our communities have evolved — while many pubs and hotels continue to embrace our historic roots, the last 20 years has shown a greater desire for a unique identity.”

NSW Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello.

But not all hotels are willing to give up their history.

The Royal Hotel Paddington has been standing since 1888 and has changed hands countless times.

Despite the new owners conducting extensive renovations, the name has remained the same.

“There is 130 years of history in this place and we wanted to honour that,” licensee Mitch Ward said.

“The hotel has been around a lot longer than. It’s a shame that the Royal name has stalled overall but I suppose it comes with a younger movement away from the monarchy.”

The Royal Hotel in Euabalong is one of 88 with the same name in NSW.

Mr Ward said having such an incredibly popular name does have its drawbacks.

“Every week without fail I will get a call from a customer or supplier saying they lost something at the Royal Hotel or they need to follow up and order,” he said.

“And my standard response is ‘are you sure you’ve got the right royal hotel’? A lot of them have the wrong royal.”

Originally published as Sydney pubs abandoning royal, railway and commercial names