The Eveleigh Hotel becomes the latest victim of neighbour complaints
The Eveleigh Hotel in Redfern is the latest pub to have to fight for its survival because of “isolated complaints” from neighbours.
It seems a trend is developing where a handful of intolerant residents are having undue influence over councils in causing hospitality venues misery.
What happened to the old adage of ‘don’t move next door to a venue and then try to get it shut down for being too loud’.
The Eveleigh Hotel is gambling-free and family-friendly. However
City of Sydney council has implemented restriction which shift manager Danny Leyland says “directly threaten our ability to operate in the future”.
Restrictions include banning live music and reducing the outdoor seating capacity from eight to six on two tables after it had already reduced capacity from 10 to eight. An 8pm curfew for outdoor patrons has also been implemented.
The music, which has now been taken away, was described as “gentle jazz” sessions, and were held on Saturday afternoons until 7pm.
The pub must also close side windows and doors to prevent noise leakage.
Noise reduction renovations, which could run into the thousands of dollars, must also be implemented.
A change.org petition to save the pub has been launched and has attracted 2000 signatures.
The pub is also on its “final warning” after customers were alleged to have caused disruption outside, including drinking in the street, shouting and smoking in anti-social areas.
Leyland wrote that the venue had been the “victim of incessant noise complaints from a neighbour, complaints that we – and our community of patrons – consider to be both unfounded and unfair”.
He said council’s actions “have caused great damage to the essential character of The Eveleigh Hotel”.
“It is difficult to explain in this petition the degree of stress and anxiety experienced by the staff who, as one member of the front of house team put it, ‘feel constantly on edge’ as a result of the ever-anticipated complainant,” he wrote.
“To our great distress, staff have described experiencing an ‘anxious atmosphere’ at The Eveleigh in which any slight infringement of the rules, however momentary or inconsequential, may be witnessed and photographed by a complainant, or by the council themselves.
“Such an atmosphere has, in one case, led to an actual stress-related physical illness for which an ambulance had to be called during a shift.”
Leyland said the restrictions were detrimental to the pub’s future.
“The danger is that ongoing restrictions could very well result in the closure of the pub as you know it. What would the future hold? A soulless hotel with pokies and sports on the TV? Or perhaps private apartments?” he said.
“Certainly, our staff would lose their jobs, and it would set yet one more precedent in Sydney for the property owner’s right to exert their power over the local venues and hospitality businesses which bring so much character to the area in which they live.”
The Eveleigh does have community support.
“It is concerning … that while the majority of the neighbourhood support The Eveleigh and consider it a cornerstone of the community, that the council has chosen to react so strongly to a minority view,” one supporter posted on social media.
“It seems out of character for a council that is strongly promoting cafe and outdoor dining culture in our area. Perhaps our council leaders should take a moment to check what’s driving this vested interest?
“You know what really bugs me about this? The Eveleigh is a lovely, welcoming (and very quiet as pubs go) pub that is part of the life of this area,” another wrote.
Jonathan Jackson - 7-3-23
