A Kingston Beach pub has gathered close to 5,000 signatures in support of its live music after a petition to council called for it to stop.
The Salty Dog launched its own petition after learning a complainant had lodged a petition of around 40 signatures with the local council’s environmental officer.
Director and part-owner James Polanowski said the venue felt it had to act.
“We needed to stand up for our local artists … and also our community and our wider community,” Polanowski told Pulse.
Polanowski said one complainant had told the council they wanted to hear only the birds and the beach.
The pub’s petition attracted 3,200 signatures in its first seven hours. It closed with close to 5,000.
Polanowski estimated about 70% of signatories were local community members, with the rest coming from across Tasmania and interstate.
“That’s huge support from the community and we’re so grateful that we’ve got them on our side,” he said.
The venue’s live music mostly runs during the day, typically from 3pm to 6pm on Sunday afternoons, with light acoustic music on Fridays.
Its licence allows music until 10pm, but the pub generally wraps up earlier.
Polanowski said the live music was vital to the business and the broader community.
“Every dollar counts in a business like that,” he said.
“Margins are very slim in hospitality and the one way that you can make money is have volume [of people].”
Without the extra revenue, he said the pub might struggle to keep running free community events, like a recent dog day where locals brought their pets.
The Salty Dog has been offering live music for more than eight years and Polanowski said it had become part of the venue’s fabric.
“People expect it and people love it,” he said.
The petition will be submitted to council along with a letter to elected members and the mayor.
Polanowski said he hoped it would open a dialogue with neighbours and lead to a resolution that works for everyone.
The venue is already looking at extra soundproofing and adjusting its music program.
“We want to be friendly with our neighbours,” he said.
“That’s the key message here and we want to work with our community and make sure that everyone’s happy and everyone can come and enjoy the space.”
