A hearing for a Hamilton pub to get a stay of execution, until the result of an appeal over an order to close earlier, has been pushed back.
The Sydney Junction Hotel is appealing NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority’s ruling that it would have to close at 1.30am instead of 3am every day but Sunday – when it shuts at midnight.
While the new hours were introduced on Sunday, hotel owner Campbell Rogers is appealing the decision.
He told the Newcastle Herald last week a hearing had been scheduled for Thursday in which he would seek to keep the pre-existing trading hours until the appeal process was complete. But Mr Rogers said on Thursday the hearing had been delayed.
Appeals over the authority’s decision are listed to be heard in the NSW Supreme Court on July 12 and at the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal on July 14. Mr Rogers did not comment further on Thursday.
The Sydney Junction Hotel topped the authority’s list of venues with the highest number of incidents recorded in the state in May.
The decision to change trading hours came after an application from Newcastle police late last year, which cited ongoing alleged violent incidents at the venue.
Read more: Two Hunter pubs branded violent venues
Mr Rogers defended the establishment’s reputation last week, telling the Herald some of the “assaults” police used to build their case were complaints that did not require officers to attend the venue.
The authority’s report outlining the decision said police had applied to revoke the hotel’s late trading hours “in the best interests of the public” – meaning police called for it to close at midnight every day except Sunday, which would have a 10pm closing time. It instead ruled the hours should be wound back by 90 minutes from Monday to Saturday.
The report said the authority “accepts that taking this action will have a substantial adverse impact upon the current revenue derived by the hotel business owner” but this would have less impact than removing the pub’s late trade permission completely.
