The Henson bucks the pokies trend, one free-range pint at a time
One Sydney pub is proving you don’t need flashing lights and chiming jackpots to keep the doors open.
The Henson in Marrickville has carved out a loyal following as a pokies-free pub — a rare breed in Australia, which has one of the highest concentrations of poker machines globally. While many city venues still treat the machines as part of the furniture, The Henson has taken a different route.
“I was attracted to it because it didn’t have pokies, to be honest,” owner Ged Dore told news.com.au. “It didn’t have pokies on the license, so it was focused on being a typical retro food-and-beverage community hotel.
“It might sound like a strange analogy, but it’s a bit like battery hens versus free-range chickens.”
Dore has worked in both types of venues, but there’s no doubt where he stands today.
“I would never walk through a poker machine room and feel good about myself,” he said.
He acknowledges the business temptation: machines are low maintenance and deliver high returns. But with no gaming windfall to fall back on, The Henson’s success comes from community support and a relentless focus on food and hospitality.
“You really have to ingrain yourself in the community, keep evolving the menu, the drinks, the experience,” Dore said.
Still, competing with pubs that subsidise everything with gaming revenue is no easy feat.
“Pubs with pokies can run discount nights, they can afford to run their food at a loss because the machines make it back.”
Alongside The Henson, Dore also runs the Enmore Hotel, which does hold a pokies license — highlighting the financial balancing act many publicans face.
It’s a reminder of the broader challenge: pubs like The Henson offer an alternative, but changing Australia’s deep-rooted gambling culture takes more than just pulling the plug on a few machines.
Jonathan Jackson, 5th August 2025
