Newcastle Council move to silence popular music venue Stockton Bowling Club

A 110-year-old club is being forced to spend money it doesn’t have to save for its live music events, because of an “entirely unreasonable” demand.

A beloved tradition of outdoor live music at a New South Wales bowlo is under threat due to a baffling demand.

The Stockton Bowling Club, founded in 1914, has been a hub for the community north of Newcastle for decades.

A clash between the club and The City of Newcastle began in March 2023 when a complaint from a neighbour about an event that was not even held on the venue’s land led to an investigation.

The club swiftly resolved the issue related to the event held on adjoining council parkland. Further probing targeted a lower bowling green that has hosted live music without a single complaint for over a decade.

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Stockton Bowling club regularly holds gigs on its bowling green.

Out of the blue in November 2023, a council worker slapped the venue with a threat of regulatory action, demanding that “outdoor live music is required to cease immediately”.

It asserted the club must urgently seek development consent for its live music.

The club, already grappling with financial challenges, is now rallying the community to save its live music scene.

CEO Tracey Aria said music had played a significant part in the 110-year-old club’s recent evolution to meet changing community dynamics.

“The Club is the meeting place of many locals, some who have lived in Stockton most or all of their lives,” Ms Aria said.

The Club is hoping that proposed reforms by the NSW Government may offer a simplified planning pathway for outdoor music venues. Picture: Supplied

“It caters for everyone on the Peninsula and surrounds, offering a warm, friendly atmosphere for those who have lost a partner and are on their own.”

With 1340 primarily social members rather than bowlers, the Club has faced tough trading times in the current economic climate.

Ms Aria said outdoor music is crucial to the club’s operations. She spoke of the financial strain imposed by the council’s demand for development consent.

“It will cost the club in the vicinity of $25,000 just for the Development Application costs and a Construction Certificate,” she said.

The council required the club to seek development consent for its live music activities, which would cost around $25,000. Picture: Supplied

Additionally, complying with council regulations would require an estimated $110,000 for necessary infrastructure upgrades.

The club, unable to borrow against its assets on Crown Land, is now seeking to raise funds for the development requirement that has been thrust upon it.

But with the potential for no earning capacity due to the looming absence of large music events, the club says its ability to save for infrastructure upgrades is severely hampered.

It hopes proposed reforms by the NSW Government may offer a simplified planning pathway for outdoor music venues, but first, it must keep the regulatory wolf from the door.

Ms Aria has accused the Council’s Compliance Officers of being “overly assertive, and entirely unreasonable”.

In correspondence seen by news.com.au, the officer sent a bluntly-worded email to the club on November 3, 2023, initially demanding the venue cease outdoor live music immediately.

The council claimed there had been no formal development consent for such activities and hinted at potential fines and orders — a claim the club disputes.

Despite ongoing discussions and an in-person meeting, the council has stood firm on the need for development consent.

The council’s compliance division continued to issue ultimatums and, at one point, refused to provide historical development consent documents.

Ms Aria expressed her frustration at the way the officers handled things.

“This is a complete abuse of the legal processes available to Council Compliance Officers,” she told news.com.au.

She highlighted the lack of community complaints, of which it appears there are none, about regular live music on the bowling greens.

The club is rallying the community to save its live music scene, which is crucial to its operations. Picture: Supplied

She alleges the council instead acted on its initiative.

While the council has backed down on the immediate cessation of outdoor live music, it insists on the club lodging a new development application. Ms Aria says she has yet to receive any satisfactory reason why it must be done.

The council has insisted it is acting under the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act and live music outside was not applied for or approved in previous DAs.

Ironically, the club is fighting the perceived silencing attempt with a live music festival.

Ms Aria urged locals to attend the ‘Rockin The Green Stockton’ event on March 23.

City of Newcastle has not responded to Ms Aria’s claims and further questions from news.com.au.

The Club and industry, more broadly, are hoping the NSW Government’s vibrancy reforms announced in November 2023 (24-hour Economy Amendment Act) will end such disputes.

The legislation slated to kick in on July 1 aims to boost the live music, dining and creative sectors.

A ClubsNSW spokesperson told news.com.au it was particularly keen to see the reforms’ elements, including a “balanced and streamlined noise complaints system, as well as the continuation of licensing fee reductions for live music venues”.

“ClubsNSW believes the reforms are a balanced and fair approach, benefiting the community and allowing clubs to foster their support of those in the arts, culture and creative industries,” they said.