The future of the eagerly awaited Humber rooftop bar will remain in limbo during the summer party season, with the state’s independent licensing body announcing it will delay making a decision on the bar’s licence until February.
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The Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) was due to make a ruling on the three-level Crown Street venue’s liquor licence late last week, but has now said it will visit the site and hold a public meeting before deciding whether to grant the hotel licence.
Operator Adam Murphy lodged an application for his hotel licence at the end of May but, more than six months on, he is still waiting to find out if his business can go ahead as planned.
In October, Mr Murphy was notified the NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing believed his licence application should be refused, with the state citing high levels of alcohol-related violence in the area and saying there were too many bars in Wollongong.
This week, ILGA chief executive Micheil Brodie said the authority would visit Wollongong to inspect Humber and host a community forum before making a decision.
He said liquor licences for four restaurants and a small bar for 60 patrons had been approved in the past two months but said Humber was different as it was ‘‘a large venue with capacity for 100 people on the rooftop area alone’’.
“The authority is aware of the significant upgrades to Wollongong’s Keira Street Precinct and its focus on nightlife redevelopment and alfresco dining,” Mr Brodie said.
‘‘Under NSW liquor laws, the authority must be satisfied that granting the licence would not be detrimental to the well-being of the broader or local community.’’
The community conference will be held on February 5, with details to be announced shortly.
Despite the ongoing delay, Mr Murphy was positive about his bar’s future and said he would open the ground-floor cafe by Christmas.
“We had hoped to open our bar and have the full facility operating before Christmas, something we felt would continue the revitalisation of the Wollongong CBD and build on the reopening of the Crown Street Mall [and] the completion of the GPT building,’’ he said. “Summer and the festive season are times when residents and visitors are seeking venues to meet up with friends and relax after the stresses of the year.
‘‘We did want to be a part of that...but, for now, we will engage with people through our soon-to-open cafe’’ Mr Murphy said he hoped his licence would be approved in the new year.
