Paddington pub parklet plan sparks local debate
A 150-year-old Paddington pub has won approval to convert a single parking bay into a 7.5-metre “parklet”, widening the suburb’s alfresco options while inflaming a familiar stand-off between venue operators and nearby residents.
The London Hotel secured Woollahra Council consent after a three-hour meeting, clearing a A$50,000 build that will trade until 11:00 pm. The green light comes with more than 70 conditions: no amplified music, security on Friday and Saturday nights, no smoking, and fixed barriers to protect diners. The decision follows recent regulatory wrangles over outdoor dining at Rollers Bakehouse in Manly and Stanley Green in the CBD, signalling that kerbside activation remains a flashpoint across Sydney.
Supporters frame the move as a boost for local trade and street life. Paddington Chamber of Commerce member Jock Bell argued the addition would lift visitation and help stitch the strip together. “It’s not a parklet that will be going until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays – it will strengthen Paddington as a destination and enhance the sense of community,” he said.
Resident groups counter that pubs bring different risks to footpath seating than cafés. Petra O’Neill from the Paddington Society warned of noise spill and sleep disruption for surrounding terraces. “The detrimental impact of this parklet will be felt on our mental health caused by noise and disturbance,” she said. “This is not a cafe or restaurant – it’s a pub where patrons consume alcohol – and the parklet represents enlarging that space outdoors with patrons spilling out onto the street.”
Some submissions raised access concerns for prams and dog walkers, while others objected to the loss of the parking space. Within council, aesthetics also featured: councillor Mary-Lou Jarvis questioned whether “orange fluoro” bollards fit the heritage streetscape and floated a “heritage barrier”. Fellow councillor Toni Zeltzer cautioned about precedent, saying “introducing a parklet on the road” could set a “precedent”. “It’s Paddington, and it’s just not right to start blistering it out with parklets – it’s not the right spot for it,” she said. “When you buy into an area near a pub, it’s a case of ‘buyer beware’, but for a pub to constantly grow I don’t think is right in Paddington because the homes are so close together.”
Licensee Kingsley Smith pushed back on late-night fears, noting modest capacity and tight rules. “We’re only looking to put out 14 seats plus a sidewalk table, so it’s not as though there’ll be a huge crowd of people causing noise,” he said.
“We’re a heavily regulated industry with rules upon rules for everything.
Compared to Europe, we’re a very ‘nanny’ state, and the conditions will reduce any of the potential impacts.
“Since COVID-19 there’s been a very noticeable trend with younger generations choosing not to drink as much alcohol and instead looking for more alfresco dining experiences and that’s what we want to offer.”
Council officers said the design aligns with its “parklet policy”, introduced during the pandemic to support expanded outdoor trade. Mayor Sarah Dixson backed the push: “Finding anywhere to eat anywhere after 10pm on a Friday night, even in the City of Sydney, is difficult, let alone Woollahra.” Smith says the build is underway for summer.
Meanwhile, nearby Charlie Parker’s, run by Merivale, is challenging council in the Land and Environment Court after its bid to extend trading to 2:00 am was refused on amenity grounds—underlining that Paddington’s night-time economy remains a contested space.
Jonathan Jackson, 29th September 2025
