‘There is always noise’: The residents at war with their neighbourhood pub
Updated . First published at
Exclusive: Residents of a ritzy Sydney suburb are at war with their neighbourhood pub after the heritage-listed venue reopened on their doorstep.
The Dry Dock Hotel has been a stalwart of Cameron Street in Balmain since 1867.
The Dry Dock Hotel in Balmain reopened in late 2023. @drydockhotel
It closed for a year-long refurbishment during the pandemic and opened its doors again in late 2023.
The historic watering hole transformed its beer garden to cater for a maximum of 40 patrons and the indoor area is open until midnight every night – much to the chagrin of its neighbours.
Locals on nearby College Street have complained the beer garden and longer trading hours is disrupting their peace and quiet.
The Inner West Local Planning Panel (IWLPP), acting on behalf of the Inner West Council, unanimously approved configurations to the pub’s indoor and outdoor areas and trading hours in June 2023 ahead of Peninsula Hospitality Group reopening the hotel.
Before its 2021 closure, the pub stopped trading at 10pm on Sundays. Now, patrons can stay inside until midnight.
The refurbished venue also has more outdoor seating on the street.
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Wendy, 85, is a longtime resident of College Street and said the noise has escalated to a “terrible” level.
“It doesn’t ever seem to quieten down,” Wendy told nine.com.au.
“There is always noise, children screaming, the sound of motorbikes and there are always cars parked outside my window.”
Care workers visit Wendy at her home regularly and they are often forced to park on Darling Street, which is around 500 metres away.
She said patrons at the pub “take up all the spots”.
A flyer was posted in the suburb asking locals to register their complaints with the venue and NSW Liquor & Gaming. Balmain Living
Wendy has lived in Balmain for 14 years and acknowledged the pub was opened long before her time.
The suburb is a haven for pub lovers. The small peninsula is renowned for its venues, with 19 pubs and a brewery in Balmain and Rozelle.
But Wendy said her street has not been the same since the Dry Dock’s renovations.
“Before it was renovated, it was very quiet,” she added.
“It’s completely changed everything.”
Many of those living on College Street are aged over 70.
Residents are sandwiched between two pubs: the Dry Dock Hotel and the Royal Oak Hotel, which is located on the intersection of College Street and Curtis Road.
Flyers were seen posted on power poles around the Balmain area, asking residents to register their complaints with Liquor & Gaming NSW.
The flyer asked if neighbours were “sick and tired” of having their sleep disrupted by the pub’s patrons.
One disgruntled local, who wished to remain anonymous, told nine.com.au that he was “blindsided” by the changes to the renovated Dry Dock Hotel.
He claimed the Inner West Council did not consult locals before approving the renovations and extended hours in 2023.
“It’s hard enough living across the road from a licensed venue, let alone now having to put up with 40 people drinking outside our bedroom and lounge room doors and windows,” he said.
“It has greatly impaired our once peaceful lifestyle.”
The indoor part of the pub is open until midnight every day. @drydockhotel
Co-owner of the Dry Dock Hotel James Ingram told nine.com.au that the pub and its staff “care deeply about the community” and “do everything in our power to be a positive presence in the neighbourhood and to maintain the best possible relationships with our local residents”.
“That includes significant investment in soundproofing during our 2022 to 2023 renovation,” Ingram said.
“Outdoor dining is part of the fabric of Balmain and Rozelle, with pubs across the peninsula offering outdoor seating that locals love, and ours is no different.
“We are proactive in working with our community on any reasonable concerns, and we publish a direct contact number for our duty manager on our website so that anything can be raised with us and addressed straight away.”
A spokesperson for Liquor & Gaming NSW told nine.com.au that it has received several noise complaints from a nearby resident about the Dry Dock Hotel.
“L&G NSW has undertaken a number of onsite inspections, including assessing the level of disturbance from the hotel’s operations. No compliance issues have been identified,” the spokesperson said.
“L&G NSW has met with staff from the hotel and provided education and support on general noise mitigation measures.
“We will continue to monitor the hotel to ensure it complies with its licence conditions and obligations under the Liquor Act 2007.”
Nine.com.au has also contacted the Inner West Council for comment.
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