Good news from the RWA

The Railz Hotel recently applied for a 24-hour license and there has been widespread outrage. Redfern Legal Centre, Hillsong and local doctors went to the Licensing Court to try and prevent Railz Hotel from receiving the license when it originally opened in the old Westpac building next-door to the RSL. That battle was lost. The concerns were centered on the problems drinking caused in the Redfern area and the oversupply of pubs. However, as this was a transfer of a license from the old Waterloo Tavern, Railz went ahead . Its management told this column that their establishment hasn’t caused an increase in street crime, despite all the protests and that, if they had have been granted a 24-hour license they probably wouldn’t have used it. Railz management is former owner of the Tudor, and point out that the Tudor has never operated for 24 hours. SSH’s response is that the 24-hour license would probably make the business easier to sell – and who’s to say that a new owner would not take advantage of a 24-hour license to maximize profits? As for the claim from Railz that there has not been an increase in crimes of violence in the area, we are hoping to have that information next month.

Source: South Sydney Herald February 2007