North Sydney’s historic Rag & Famish has been dodging daggers from noisy locals disgruntled about the pub renewing its government mandated outdoor trading area.
During the pandemic, in light of the benefits of open spaces, North Sydney Council facilitated many establishments, including the Rag, to operate an area outside on the pavement.
The original scheme was slated to end at the start of this year, and this was swiftly extended until June. Last month Council invited Peter Calligeros, proprietor, to renew it again for another 12 months, to strengthen the message North Sydney “is open”.
However, the lodgement has prompted a flurry of reputed nearby residents, citing fears of noise and drunken behaviour, and even newfound safety concerns over people on sidewalks beside cars, which might abruptly “mount the footpath”.
The Daily Telegraph reported on residents’ apparent concerns for the “amenity of the area” and discontent on an outdoor area “directly near homes”. The nearest residences are several blocks north on Miller Street.
Soon also to be on Miller Street is the new train station being built across from the Rag, and on the next block, between Berry Street and the Pacific Hwy, Council has approved the new Ward St eat-street precinct, destined to host five venues with outdoor dining.
Calligeros has owned the pub – deemed “low-risk” by Liquor & Gaming – since the 1970s, and given both the patron and post-pandemic benefits says these spaces are a good idea, and people are making “a mountain out of a molehill”.
“For hoteliers, I think it’s worth keeping these things going a bit longer,” he suggests.
“If there are genuine noise complaints, by all means no, but the way these complaints are being written everyone in my pub is accused of being a drunk.”
The pub recently gained approval, after a drawn-out process, to construct a new rooftop bar for up to 150 patrons.
The wave of new objections by self-reported ‘residents’ seems opportune, coming after the pub’s recent hard-fought win.
“Is the answer for hoteliers to put a petition on the bar and send 5,000 letters of support to the office of Liquor & Gaming, to balance the scales? Is that where we need to go? Do we need more red tape?” poses Calligeros.
The Telegraph article elicited a couple of dozen comments – unanimously in support of the pub’s plight and fighting back against the all too familiar ‘nimby’ attitude.
“Is it just me, or does the pub look somewhat older than the homes? Maybe I’ll move next door to a football stadium and tell people they can’t play footy anymore,” said one.
Established in 1860, the current building constructed in 1892, the Rag & Famish is North Sydney’s oldest pub, beginning as a single-storey roadhouse plying trade to the ferry boats crossing the harbour to and from Sydney town.
After more than four decades at the corner of Miller and Berry, Calligeros responds he would welcome complainants coming to him with their problems, but laments their absence.
“My name is above the door.”
