Leichhardt Council have declared that the Annandale Hotel has been “saved” today, after receiving the same information from the real estate agent that theMusic.com.au did yesterday.
A report in The Daily Telegraph that was subsequently reported by a number of music blogs was proved to be false by theMusic after we spoke to the agents involved in the sale. The venue is likely to be sold to a publican, not a residential developer, although any plans regarding live music are yet to be confirmed.
Leichhardt Mayor Darcy Byrne told theMusic, “To save the hotel is a huge triumph for music lovers in Sydney and the transformation of Parramatta Road into a live music precinct will provide huge incentives for the hotel to remain an iconic live music venue.
“Any purchaser who shares our vision will have my full support.”
Today the council has also recieved confirmation about the hotel's potential buyer.
“I am proud that we have fought to keep the doors of the Annandale hotel open and we have prevailed," Byrne said. "This victory must be the turning point for Sydney's struggling live music scene. We will now accelerate our campaign to transform Parramatta Road into Sydney's first live music zone.”
He added, “The thousands of young people who have joined this campaign have put live music on the political agenda. I am calling on music lovers across Sydney to join our fight to save live music in this city before it is too late.”
