Annandale Hotel To Close Until Mid-September

29 August 2013 | 3:35 pm | Scott Fitzsimons

Gigs disrupted as new owners prepare to take control

A number of planned shows at Sydney's Annandale Hotel have been moved to alternate venues after the venue announced today it will close from Monday 2 September.

In a statement today the iconic inner-west venue said, “Due to circumstances beyond our control, the Annandale Hotel will be temporarily closed from Monday September 2.

“Unscheduled building works associated with the development next to the hotel have left the venue with no choice but to close until September 16, when the new operators will take control of operations.”

Newcastle's The Delta Lions were due to play tonight, but were told the show could no longer go ahead due to health and safety issues. They've moved their show to The Bald Faced Stag while The Beards' World Beard Day show slated for Saturday 7 September, has also been moved to the Manning Bar.

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Melbourne's The Smith Street Band have gigs booked at the venue for Saturday and Sunday and this afternoon said they were unaware of any changes to those dates. A staff member at the hotel told theMusic they were rostered to work both Saturday and Sunday, but were unsure beyond that.

Following The Beards' show, the next gig booked is for The Snowdroppers on Friday 20 September.

The iconic music venue was sold to the Oscars Hotels group in May after a drawn-out receivership. However Oscars don't take control of the venue until 16 September and the business is currently being run by receivers Ferrier Hodgson.

Ferrier Hodgson have been approached for comment, but have not supplied theMusic.com.au with comment at this stage.

Oscars Hotels' Group General Manager Damien Cameron confirmed to the theMusic.com.au that they have “nothing to do with the venue” until they take control mid September, when they will be pursuing live music.

“We'll be continuing live music until the end of the year at least,” he said. “The venue's got a name for live music and we'll be giving it a red hot go.”

Leichhardt May Darcy Byrne added today that if Oscars continue music until the end of the year it would be “just in time for the Parramatta Road live music zone to come into effect and give them a financial incentive to keep going.”