Expansion plans at a famous pub have angered locals who say it will kill the area’s “village” atmosphere.
The Imperial Hotel in Erskineville, made internationally famous by the 1995 film “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert”, submitted development plans to Sydney City Council in February this year.
It would see two adjacent stores, purchased by the hotel’s owners for $3.6 million last year, renovated or demolished to add 5,000 square feet of space for the hotel.
The development application states that installing a new beer garden and another bar on the site would cost around $1 million.
It also assured that the expansion would not increase its current capacity of 990 customers, which includes a maximum of 406 on the ground floor.
More than a dozen locals raised concerns about increased noise in submissions to council last month.
They said the expansion, with the resulting increase in the number of customers, would affect the value of nearby homes.
Others have backed Imperial’s plans, saying it will create a more vibrant atmosphere in the suburb.
Locals have been left divided over plans to add a beer garden and bar to the world-famous Imperial Hotel (pictured) in Sydney’s inner west.
The Imperial was listed on the New South Wales Heritage List in 2012 as it was built in 1881 and maintained by various owners since then.
It has since become a “cornerstone of Sydney’s LGBTQIA+ community” due in part to the success of “Priscilla”.
The development proposal says that the expansion “iIt is aligned with the town’s vision of the Erskineville Road town center as a vibrant community centre.
“It will support economic activity in the area by encouraging more employment opportunities and economic growth.”
However, one local opposed the proposal, arguing that the site “is already at the appropriate limit for this location.”
“Further proposed expansion would be detrimental to the town,” they wrote.
A second said the noise was already “disturbing” their sleep, especially on busy Friday and Saturday nights.
“More clientele means more noise for residents late at night, as they leave the place accustomed to loud music and therefore shout loudly to hear each other,” the local said.
The proposal would involve the demolition of two adjacent shops to make way for the beer garden (pictured, artist’s impression), which has raised concerns about increased noise pollution.
Another resident of a house neighboring the property said the addition “could seriously impact our ability to enjoy our home.”
Previous complaints about drunk customers and drug use on the premises caused the pub to close for three years before Universal Hotels reopened it in 2018.
While some locals have noted a change in patronage since the new owners took over, several backed the expansion and responded to complaining locals by opting to buy homes near a lively pub.
“I am in favor of any such development,” one wrote in a post on a local Facebook group.
“Anything that brings energy to our area, except empty storefronts.”
“I see this proposal as a positive step towards expanding and updating the Imperial, which has long been a cornerstone for the LGBTQIA+ community in Sydney and the community’s history,” wrote a second.
“Creating more space allows for greater inclusion and diversity, ensuring everyone feels welcome.”
A third said the adjacent shops have been “vacant for years”.
“An enlarged Imperial would be an improvement over the abandoned-looking mess it has been for decades,” they wrote.