Outdoor dining revitalised The Rocks and is here to stay
Outdoor dining at The Rocks will become permanent as alfresco tables and chairs helped drive hospitality revenue in recent months.
The government wants this “game changer” move to stay.
Steven Speed, a publican at Sydney’s oldest pub, Fortune of War, agrees with the government that the move has been a game changer.
“It has brought The Rocks back to life,” Speed said.
Speed along with other bar and cafe owners and restaurateurs are happy with the state government’s move to keep the northbound lane of George St permanently closed to traffic.
A proposal for pedestrian-only access is now open for consultation.
Alfresco dining has meant that Fortune of War was able to have 100 diners eating outdoors on Melbourne Cup day rather than being restricted to only around 30 diners indoors.
“We should have done this years ago. We have been so lucky that the government came to the party to support businesses after such a devastating period,” Speed said.
“Sitting outside with a gin and tonic of an evening watching the ferries on the harbour – it’s magic,” Ciara Doran, owner of the Doss House and Frank Mac’s, said.
“The outdoor dining has created a whole new atmosphere, it’s a completely different vibe.”
According to Planning Minister Rob Stokes, up to 70 per cent of revenue came from outdoor dining alone and that was just from local diners only.
Irit Jackson, 11th November 2021
