Night economy boost for Hunter bars and clubs as state grants leave Sydney for first time

The Advertiser

2 days ago

Venue owners in Newcastle's Midtown precinct between Steel and Union streets say the injection of almost $800,000 in state grants will help launch more vibrant events like the West Best Bloc Fest to boost the city's nightlife.
The state will funnel around $770,000 into three inner city venue collectives, including Midtown - a group of around seven members; the East End group, and the villages of the Throsby basin, as well as the Shoaly Collective at Shoal Bay, to promote inter-venue cooperation.
It represents the third round of the state government's Uptown grants program, and the first time that regional venues outside of Sydney have been beneficiaries.
The Hunter's slice comes from a pie of some $5.5 million in state funding aimed at growing a 24-hour hospitality and entertainment economy.
Midtown venue owners say they will use their allotment to bring in a local coordinator who can leverage opportunities for venues to cooperate on larger-scale events while remaining "authentic to Newcastle".
"This night-time economy is going to boom from this little hit," Mad Poet owner Dylan Oakes said.
As the landscape of the city's hospitality economy changes in the long shadow of lockout laws, COVID, a cost-of-living crisis and increases to supply costs, venue owners say coordinating with their neighbours has helped them navigate rolling headwinds.
"The Midtown project is not to give us any more sugar rushes," Bernie's Bar venue manager Patrick Fisher said.
"We have Saturday night for that. We're here to boost the long-term prospects of the precinct.
"And by having a year-long coordinator, we think we will be really well placed to do that."
Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp, who announced the grant winners on Friday afternoon, said the funding follows legislative changes to better mediate between venues looking to capitalise on a vibrant nighttime economy and residents living in those precincts.
"In certain precincts where there are bars and restaurants and clubs, there will be music and clatter and noise. That is a good, vibrant 24-hour economy. That's what we want. But people need to know that precinct is where it's going to happen."
"(Newcastle) is not a retirement village. It's the second biggest city in the state ... It's all part of a vibrant and active city, and people understand that. And if they don't know, they need to certainly do a bit of research before they move in."
Grace Frey, a director of Bernie's Bar, said years of disruptions to the city's going-out economy had changed its make-up, but said the injection of state funding would help smaller, niche venues compete and meet patron needs.
Nighttime Economy Minister John Graham said the funding would help collectives generate "self-sustaining" initiatives to boost local offerings and promote the visitor economy.
Venue owners in Newcastle's Midtown precinct between Steel and Union streets say the injection of almost $800,000 in state grants will help launch more vibrant events like the West Best Bloc Fest to boost the city's nightlife.
The state will funnel around $770,000 into three inner city venue collectives, including Midtown - a group of around seven members; the East End group, and the villages of the Throsby basin, as well as the Shoaly Collective at Shoal Bay, to promote inter-venue cooperation.
It represents the third round of the state government's Uptown grants program, and the first time that regional venues outside of Sydney have been beneficiaries.
The Hunter's slice comes from a pie of some $5.5 million in state funding aimed at growing a 24-hour hospitality and entertainment economy.
Midtown venue owners say they will use their allotment to bring in a local coordinator who can leverage opportunities for venues to cooperate on larger-scale events while remaining "authentic to Newcastle".
"This night-time economy is going to boom from this little hit," Mad Poet owner Dylan Oakes said.
As the landscape of the city's hospitality economy changes in the long shadow of lockout laws, COVID, a cost-of-living crisis and increases to supply costs, venue owners say coordinating with their neighbours has helped them navigate rolling headwinds.
"The Midtown project is not to give us any more sugar rushes," Bernie's Bar venue manager Patrick Fisher said.
"We have Saturday night for that. We're here to boost the long-term prospects of the precinct.
"And by having a year-long coordinator, we think we will be really well placed to do that."
Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp, who announced the grant winners on Friday afternoon, said the funding follows legislative changes to better mediate between venues looking to capitalise on a vibrant nighttime economy and residents living in those precincts.
"In certain precincts where there are bars and restaurants and clubs, there will be music and clatter and noise. That is a good, vibrant 24-hour economy. That's what we want. But people need to know that precinct is where it's going to happen."
"(Newcastle) is not a retirement village. It's the second biggest city in the state ... It's all part of a vibrant and active city, and people understand that. And if they don't know, they need to certainly do a bit of research before they move in."
Grace Frey, a director of Bernie's Bar, said years of disruptions to the city's going-out economy had changed its make-up, but said the injection of state funding would help smaller, niche venues compete and meet patron needs.
Nighttime Economy Minister John Graham said the funding would help collectives generate "self-sustaining" initiatives to boost local offerings and promote the visitor economy.
Venue owners in Newcastle's Midtown precinct between Steel and Union streets say the injection of almost $800,000 in state grants will help launch more vibrant events like the West Best Bloc Fest to boost the city's nightlife.
The state will funnel around $770,000 into three inner city venue collectives, including Midtown - a group of around seven members; the East End group, and the villages of the Throsby basin, as well as the Shoaly Collective at Shoal Bay, to promote inter-venue cooperation.
It represents the third round of the state government's Uptown grants program, and the first time that regional venues outside of Sydney have been beneficiaries.
The Hunter's slice comes from a pie of some $5.5 million in state funding aimed at growing a 24-hour hospitality and entertainment economy.
Midtown venue owners say they will use their allotment to bring in a local coordinator who can leverage opportunities for venues to cooperate on larger-scale events while remaining "authentic to Newcastle".
"This night-time economy is going to boom from this little hit," Mad Poet owner Dylan Oakes said.
As the landscape of the city's hospitality economy changes in the long shadow of lockout laws, COVID, a cost-of-living crisis and increases to supply costs, venue owners say coordinating with their neighbours has helped them navigate rolling headwinds.
"The Midtown project is not to give us any more sugar rushes," Bernie's Bar venue manager Patrick Fisher said.
"We have Saturday night for that. We're here to boost the long-term prospects of the precinct.
"And by having a year-long coordinator, we think we will be really well placed to do that."
Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp, who announced the grant winners on Friday afternoon, said the funding follows legislative changes to better mediate between venues looking to capitalise on a vibrant nighttime economy and residents living in those precincts.
"In certain precincts where there are bars and restaurants and clubs, there will be music and clatter and noise. That is a good, vibrant 24-hour economy. That's what we want. But people need to know that precinct is where it's going to happen."
"(Newcastle) is not a retirement village. It's the second biggest city in the state ... It's all part of a vibrant and active city, and people understand that. And if they don't know, they need to certainly do a bit of research before they move in."
Grace Frey, a director of Bernie's Bar, said years of disruptions to the city's going-out economy had changed its make-up, but said the injection of state funding would help smaller, niche venues compete and meet patron needs.
Nighttime Economy Minister John Graham said the funding would help collectives generate "self-sustaining" initiatives to boost local offerings and promote the visitor economy.
Venue owners in Newcastle's Midtown precinct between Steel and Union streets say the injection of almost $800,000 in state grants will help launch more vibrant events like the West Best Bloc Fest to boost the city's nightlife.
The state will funnel around $770,000 into three inner city venue collectives, including Midtown - a group of around seven members; the East End group, and the villages of the Throsby basin, as well as the Shoaly Collective at Shoal Bay, to promote inter-venue cooperation.
It represents the third round of the state government's Uptown grants program, and the first time that regional venues outside of Sydney have been beneficiaries.
The Hunter's slice comes from a pie of some $5.5 million in state funding aimed at growing a 24-hour hospitality and entertainment economy.
Midtown venue owners say they will use their allotment to bring in a local coordinator who can leverage opportunities for venues to cooperate on larger-scale events while remaining "authentic to Newcastle".
"This night-time economy is going to boom from this little hit," Mad Poet owner Dylan Oakes said.
As the landscape of the city's hospitality economy changes in the long shadow of lockout laws, COVID, a cost-of-living crisis and increases to supply costs, venue owners say coordinating with their neighbours has helped them navigate rolling headwinds.
"The Midtown project is not to give us any more sugar rushes," Bernie's Bar venue manager Patrick Fisher said.
"We have Saturday night for that. We're here to boost the long-term prospects of the precinct.
"And by having a year-long coordinator, we think we will be really well placed to do that."
Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp, who announced the grant winners on Friday afternoon, said the funding follows legislative changes to better mediate between venues looking to capitalise on a vibrant nighttime economy and residents living in those precincts.
"In certain precincts where there are bars and restaurants and clubs, there will be music and clatter and noise. That is a good, vibrant 24-hour economy. That's what we want. But people need to know that precinct is where it's going to happen."
"(Newcastle) is not a retirement village. It's the second biggest city in the state ... It's all part of a vibrant and active city, and people understand that. And if they don't know, they need to certainly do a bit of research before they move in."
Grace Frey, a director of Bernie's Bar, said years of disruptions to the city's going-out economy had changed its make-up, but said the injection of state funding would help smaller, niche venues compete and meet patron needs.
Nighttime Economy Minister John Graham said the funding would help collectives generate "self-sustaining" initiatives to boost local offerings and promote the visitor economy.