Salamanca Place: Live amplified music could be permitted seven days a week in outdoor dining areas

It’s not exactly rock n’ roll all night but live amplified music may soon be allowed in Salamanca’s outdoor dining areas for a certain window of time every day of the week.

Live Amplified Music trial Salamanca Sunday Sessions, musician Peter Holloway, Alderman Marti Zucco and THA CEO Steve Old. Picture: Chris Kidd

Live music may be permitted in Salamanca’s outdoor dining areas seven days a week following a successful trial overseen by the local council – and the concept could also be expanded to other parts of the city in the future.

Championed by Alderman Marti Zucco and backed by the Tasmanian Hospitality Association, the 12-month trial began in February last year and saw live amplified music allowed in designated existing outdoor occupation licence dining areas on Salamanca Place from midday to 8pm on Sundays.

A review of the trial conducted by Hobart City Council officers has deemed it a success, recommending it be made permanent and that live music be permitted every day of the week.

Live music could be set to become an everyday fixture on Salamanca Place.

Officers said occupation licences should be amended for 2025-26 to allow for amplified music on Salamanca Place between 4pm and 8pm on Monday-Friday, 6pm-8pm on Saturday, and midday to 8pm on Sunday.

They also recommended that the council authorise the Chief Executive Officer to “carry out a similar trial in other areas where it is anticipated that amplified music on council land adjacent to private venues is likely to succeed”.

“These changes would be an opportunity for the city to show its support for the live music/performing arts sector, where providing greater opportunities for paid work for artists in a professional setting is so important to their economic survival,” the officers’ report said.

“The proposal will allow local business to have greater flexibility to present an important point of difference in their offering to patrons, and so demonstrates the city’s proactive support of the night-time economy.”

The expansion of the program is only expected to come at a minor cost to the council.

Elected members will vote on whether to continue and expand the arrangement at a council meeting on Monday.

Hobart Alderman Marti Zucco at Salamanca. Picture: Chris Kidd

Mr Zucco said people welcomed the opportunity to listen to live music while dining out.

”I think the next step is to have it seven days a week,” he said.

“This is about having people being able to enjoy some live music in an ambient setting in outdoor dining across our main tourist destination for tourists that come to Hobart.

“The customers love it. I’ve never asked whether or not [venue managers’] turnover has increased or not but, from my point-of-view, it’s the expectations of those people who go to those venues and if they’re enjoying it, hopefully that’s been delivered in extra revenue.”

Originally published as Salamanca Place: Live amplified music could be permitted seven days a week in outdoor dining areas