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All in all this portion of
King Street Newtown is a very satisfying to a lover of Australian pubs and
culture.
Here you will find everything there is to find about Australian big city
pubs and the people who inhabit them. The people won't be as
friendly as they are in the outback, but if
you have a few good mates and a nice
hot day then you won't do much better than this in an international city.
Enjoy!
Note: Jon Kok wrote in on 25 November 2004 to report the
following:
Hi folks,
Saw your site when I was investigating new and interesting things to
do to my range of home brews. I noticed your section on Pubs in Newtown
in Sydney, and had a look. Things to note are: the Oxford changed its
name a year or two back and became Zanzibar, and there are also another
two pubs further down King St towards St Peters called the Union Hotel
and the Sandringham Hotel, and another on King St near Erskineville Rd
called Kelly's on King. Also, most of the pubs have had substantial face
lifts since your articles were done. Might be worth another visit.
Also, for those who have partaken in the PGA tours (Piss Guzzlers
Association) there is the Newtown Nine. Beginning at the Marlborough,
moving on to the cocktail bar Kuletos (which has a lady's tee - a less
potent drink may be substituted if not going for the main trophy) and
thence the Newtown (which has a water hazard - no toilet stops). Then
on to the Coopers, Kelly's, Zanzibar and the Courthouse (lady's tee)
and then back up to the Bank (lady's tee) and the Townie.
Also, there is a Newtown 18, which adds three pubs in Erskineville, the
Sandringham and Union Hotels, and the Golden Barley, Sly Fox, Duke of
Edinburgh and @Newtown (the former Newtown RSL) on Enmore Rd.
Jon Kok
(Newtown Resident and Sydney Uni PGA Secretary)
Mike Marton wrote in on 12 October 2006 to give us a further update:
Newtown is a truly excellent beer scene.
The usual industrial products are on tap, as well as Coopers Red and
Green, Cascade Pale, St Arnou Blonde, Guinness - and Malt Shovel Brewery
libations are sometimes sighted. Many pubs have upwards of 20 bottled
brands in the fridge. Bars are open extended hours and, because of fierce
competition, prices are reasonable, especially compared with the City.
Well serviced by bus and rail, it is easy to get to and equally easy
to escape from. Taxis can be readily hailed in King street at any hour
of the day or night, although if you are looking drunk and disorderly
they may choose not to stop. If the worst comes to the worst, it is a
40 minute stagger to Central Station district of the City, where there
are abundant backpacker hostels.
In mentioning the Sando and the Union (the latter recently extended with
huge back lounge bar/restaurant) in south King St, Jon missed two pubs
further along: the Botany View and the Sydney Park (all in that order).
The Sando is traditionally a big live rock music venue, although it recently
changed hands and I'm not sure what it's doing right now. Worth taking
a look.
The Marly, at the other end of the street, has been extended with upstairs
bars and outdoor beer gardens.
Coopers Arms recently changed hands and has just started a 6 month renovation
which will apparently provide food and another bar upstairs instead of
backpackers' rooms (bar still open throughout). The Bank is about to
reopen after being closed for 12 months for gutting and internal rebuilding.
Drinks might consequently have become expensive - we will see.
In back streets near the Courthouse Hotel (which is in Australia street,
west off King opposite the Bank Hotel - intersection blocked to other
than pedestrians and emergency vehicles, and in the blocked off section
is a young olive tree, gift of the city of Athens to commemorate the
2004 Olympic torch relay which passed by that spot) is the Carlisle Castle
(corner of Probert and Albemarle streets) with really ornate traditional
front bar. Like much heritage material and many of the people in Newtown
it bears an occasional scar. Two tiles from the front vertical surface
of the bar have disappeared.
Then along Enmore road into Enmore (off King street opp Newtown rail
station, heading west) are @Newtown, The Duke of Edinburgh, the Queens,
the Sly Fox (specialises in late night entertainment with a bit of an
edge) and, at the end of the strip, the Warren View. Turn left at the
crossroads where the Warren View is and in a few hundred metres, you'll
come to the Golden Barley - recently upgraded kitchen and beer garden
and very much a neighbourhood pub. Head back east along Alice Street
(opposite the Barley) to south King, then turn right to the Union etc.
The three Eskineville pubs (in Erskineville road east off King St almost
opposite the Kelly's on King Irish tavern - which used to be a McDonalds
but couldn't compete with all the ethnic cafes lining King St) are the
Imperial (briefly featured in the movie Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,
for reasons that will be apparent to late evening visitors), the Erko,
probably the most traditional un-tarted-up but tidy "community neighbourhood
pub" in the area), then the Rose of Australia - reportedly such
a tourist destination that locals don't go there so much anymore.
Keep heading along Erskineville road across the railway line (it has
now become Swanson street) into Alexandria/Redfern - but that's a whole
new drinking scene, with another half dozen pubs or more within a 20
minute walk.
Every pub has its own atmosphere, choice of beers on tap and prices,
which change from daytime to evening, Most offer reasonable food. But
you'll find that the locals move around. Many don't stick to the one
pub all the time, but choose on a day-by-day basis to match their mood.
Newtown-Enmore is about as far west as the nineteenth century expansion
of metropolitan Sydney stretched. Many of the houses were tiny three
or four room workers' cottages in which large families of the time lived
under remarkably cramped conditions. In those days, the pubs of the district
really were public houses - where the men went to socialise, have a beer
and get out from under wives' feet. Today if you stroll through the back
lanes you'll spot some almost mansion-like extensions that have been
grafted onto the rear of these houses, leaving front facades largely
intact.
But the pubs are still popular. If none of them appeal there are probably
50 cafes and restaurants in the area where you can order something to
eat and a bottle of beer: Japan, Thai, Singapore, Sweden, whatever. There
are plenty of BYOs (some limited to wine only - check first), and bottle
shops in Enmore (3) and Erskineville (2) roads and King street (4). On
a fine day or early evening you might even buy a few twisties and some
Indian, Thai, Chinese or Turkish takeaway - or even a gourmet meat pie
or burger - and repair to Camperdown Rest Park (off Australian street)
or Green Bans Park (off Erskineville Road) for a picnic.
Pub evening price increases may occur anywhere between 6 pm and 9 pm,
depending on the venue. Be careful though. You can spend a bucket-load
of money late at night getting stuck into the cocktails in some of the
bars. There are various happy hour deals around in late afternoon and
early evening, but they tend not to be advertised. You can find them
by (as enthusiastic beer drinkers should) stumbling over them.
Cheers
MikeM
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