Decision date set in Romsey Football Netball Club’s pokie plea for local hotel

A longstanding debate over whether pokies should come to the Central Victorian town of Romsey will be decided within four months, the Herald Sun can reveal.

The pokie debate at the Romsey Hotel will be settled by the end of June.

UPDATED FEBRUARY 28: The fate of a local football and netball club’s application for 50 poker machines in a Central Victorian town will be decided by the end of June.

The Romsey Hotel – an hour north of Melbourne’s CBD – has sat as a boarded-up eyesore on Romsey’s main street since owner James Hogan shut its doors in 2017.

The Romsey Football Netball Club (RFNC) of the Riddell District League last year announced a bid to lease and operate the venue from Mr Hogan.

The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission formally notified Macedon Ranges Shire Council on Monday of the application for the new gaming premise at the Romsey Hotel.

The council has until April 26 to make a submission on the matter, with the ruling to be delivered by close of business on June 25.

The pub has sat closed since 2017.

“The hearing is currently scheduled for the last week of May but may change depending on when the Council make their submission,” a VGCCC spokesperson said.

“The Commission will make their formal decision on the matter after they have considered evidence from the hearing and evidence submitted by the parties.”

Council began working on a Social and Economic Impact Statement for its possible submission last year, expected to be completed by its April 24 meeting for councillors to consider.

However, council has not revealed its position on the application, with the findings of the SEIA expected to “support councillors to make an informed decision”.

A Herald Sun survey regarding the pokes found 63 per cent of the community was in favour of the licence being approved.

EARLIER JANUARY 31: A highly anticipated hearing to decide whether a local football netball club receives mass profits from pokie player losses has been speculated to begin in May.

The Romsey Hotel – an hour north of Melbourne’s CBD – has made headlines since the late 2000s when owner James Hogan fought Macedon Ranges Shire Council and Romsey locals in a bid for 30 poker machines at the venue.

Mr Hogan was given the go-ahead for pokies in 2007 but the slot was short-lived when Macedon Ranges Shire Council appealed the decision to the Supreme Court to support its residents, who were strongly opposed to pokies.

The case set a precedent for future hearings that community opposition be considered, and Mr Hogan’s application was subsequently refused in 2009.

The venue closed in 2017.

The Romsey Hotel was operational until 2017.

Romsey Football Netball Club (RFNC) of the Riddell District League in 2023 announced a bid to lease and operate the venue from Mr Hogan, with “significant” economic benefit for the small town club and community projects if pokies were allowed by the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission.

The agreement would see the first $200,000 in profits, and a further 30 per cent of any remaining, allocated to the football club, which currently receives just $50,000 in sponsorships each year.

The Romsey community was asked if they would prefer a refurbished hotel, convenience restaurant or a high density housing complex as part of initial research for the application. Picture: Supplied

The remaining profits would be put into a community chest, distributed to local organisations such as the Men’s Shed, preschools and kindergartens, as decided by a committee.

“I really see this proposal as strengthening and sustaining the whole of the community into the future and helping the community to remain resilient,” Mr Hogan said in a submission to the VGCCC.

The VGCCC would need to approve 50 poker machines at the venue, which would make an estimated $2.8m to $3.5m each year.

RFNC president Wayne Milburn said it was “just a fact of life” that the venue needed gaming machines to operate.

“What is clear from the modelling is that the proposal will not be financially viable if gambling machines are not permitted to operate at the hotel,” he said in a statement to the Commission.

But many Romsey residents are standing against the proposed pokie hall, with RFNC’s own submission finding 48 per cent of people in the area opposed the inclusion of a lounge bar with pokies.

“Considering how much all the locals […] are complaining about the price of everything going up, cost of living increases … how can anybody in good conscience support pokies in our local area,” Owen Witteveen said on community Facebook page The Romsey Social.

“Surprised and disappointed a local football team would support this venture,” Guy Walter wrote.

RFNC told the Herald Sun a hearing had been set for May.

The official date of the hearing is yet to be announced by the Commission.

Macedon Ranges Shire Council is preparing a Social and Economic Impact Assessment, to be provided once it receives formal notification from the Commission.

“The SEIA will support Councillors to make an informed decision on the proposal more broadly and is expected to be tabled for consideration at a future Council meeting,” council chief executive Bernie O’Sullivan said.

The council this month accepted and allocated for review a planning permit application at the hotel after RFNC submitted plans for a “substantial” $10m renovation, including a bistro, function room and sports bar.

“This application will now go through the standard process for consideration and is

currently with Council’s Statutory Planning team for initial assessment,” Mr O’Sullivan said.