Sydney's live music scene got so bad 15 years ago that a lot of musicians fled to Melbourne in order to play a gig. Now, The Annandale Hotel one of the last Sydney venues left standing in support of live music is undersiege from banks and developers. Read on to find out how you can help this iconic Sydney music venue stay alive.
Owners of the Annandale Hotel Matt and Dan Rule have already taken expressions of interest in the buy-a-brick project - which will kick off next year - and have sold off the venue's poker machines to keep the business afloat.Under the buy-a-brick plan, music fans will pay for a brick (membership), bearing a plaque with their name, and a certificate for helping save the Parramatta Rd pub. Sounds like a good idea to me!
Funds raised will go towards further reducing the hotel's debts while paying for a desperately needed upgrade. Matt Rule said several musicians had pledged support, and donations were collected from bands that had performed there over the years. "Pretty much any band who has made it big in Australia has played here," he said.
The upgrade will include overhauling the ageing live music room, replacing beer-soaked carpets and renovating parts of the exterior.
The Rule brothers bought a half-share in the hotel a decade ago when it had debts of more than $2.5 million, before eventually taking full ownership but slipping further into the red. When the hotel was was up for sale six months ago developers expressed interest in knocking it down for units.
The Rules won a reprieve after the bank let them sell its nine poker machines to reduce the debt.
Contact The Annandale Team with your interest
Matt Rule matt@annandalehotel.com
