After two decades manning the bar and watching Balmain transform, Gary Cowan has sold his famed William Wallace and development plans that will see it transform and literally welcome in locals.
Following several years at Rozelle’s Merton Hotel, Cowan bought the ‘Willy Wally’ in the late 90s, at times operating it under management.
The pub is named in honour of 13th century Scottish knight William Wallace, who famously defeated English armies before ultimately being executed by King Edward I for high treason, as depicted in Mel Gibson’s 1995 blockbuster Braveheart. It is known to be a favourite haunt of Gibson’s when in Sydney, who began drinking there at age 20, long before he had heard of its namesake.
Built 1879 on an elevated 329sqm block with CBD, Harbour Bridge and water views, it is a handsome example of the Victorian Filigree style, dressed in iron lace verandas and balustrades.
But like many of the Balmain peninsula’s historic pubs, it has struggled to find market and purpose at the quiet end of an increasingly gentrified precinct.
“The pubs aren’t closing for no reason,” suggests Cowan. “I’ve got some strong locals, but the new people moving in aren’t pub people and they don’t like the Wally the way it is, and aren’t coming in here.”
Exacerbating a fading market, Cowan reports Council has made more problems for the old watering holes, catering to increasing limitations on noise and amenity, such as at his former Merton, where patrons are no longer being allowed to drink outside.
The Wally also can’t afford to get too busy, lest neighbours object, and has been maintaining an arrangement with those within earshot to play live music strictly on Saturday nights only, ending promptly at 8pm.
“At the moment I’ve got some good neighbours, but there are a lot of horror stories from operators. You start to wonder what else you can do.”
Plans were first submitted to extend the pub to the rear, but meeting some resistance, a second plan was conceived to redevelop and reduce the pub, install a whisky bar in the cellar, and build two high-end residences at the rear.
While this second plan was readily accepted by the surrounding neighbours, it was turned down by Council over heritage concerns. The matter ended up before the Land & Environment Court, and $150k later Cowan won his approval.
Further complicating matters, the 140-year-old building is a patchwork of retro-fitted electrical and plumbing that had been repaired too many times already.
What is required is an almost complete demolition, redeveloping the existing pub while keeping its historic façade intact.
“It should be pretty close to what it is – but much improved,” says Cowan.
The unnamed builders, who bought the site based on the approved DA, have extensive heritage experience and have already won awards for other projects in the inner west. The Wally will be stripped back to bare brick, repointed, and a greater emphasis put on its stunning balcony, which will be dismantled, restored and rebuilt.
The new version of the pub will be more sound-proofed and likely more food-oriented, and downstairs, in the massive former basement, will be a cosy, intimate bar serving quality whiskies and gins, with a bit of live music in the corner. Cowan says it will need to be excavated around another metre, but will be a superb, more female-friendly repurposing of what is already a licensed area.
“It got to the point I thought we need to attract a new crowd, and I thought the whisky bar was a way of doing it. It gives you an area downstairs where you can eat, away from old-school Balmain, where the new breed might come in.”
The new owners have conducted their reports, and are thought to be looking to start the 12-month construction in early January, bringing to life a vision Cowan has spent years and a lot of money making possible.
The veteran Balmainian suggests the deal is a “good result for everyone” and beyond retaining some iteration of the legend, does include him taking one of the new houses and a cash balance. The only significant difference is that he won’t be the one running or leasing out the pub.
He says he could easily spend a million dollars and still not be guaranteed enough business to keep the pub in its current form. There is simply not enough business coming from reminiscent Scottish tourists, nor the vocal armchair supporters demanding he not change a brick in the broke business.
“The emotion that comes out when people are telling you not to change it is quite intense. It’s a sad day for me, too, but economically it’s been very tough. It has sort of worked out.”
The William Wallace Hotel in Birchgrove will be having its farewell party Saturday night (14 December) before it closes forever as the Willy Wally it is today.
Hopefully all this comes to fruition as we love that pub it is sad to see it go but let’s look forward to a bright new future
First pub that i managed in Sydney- 1995 till late 1996.
If the walls could talk.
Loved my experience there.
Live on William
Matt Dunn
It was a great locals pub but also on the list of many a party!! Sad to see her go but she will return in a year and hopefully revitalised to offer ALL the locals and beyond an even better place.