It’s right in the centre of one of the most animated strips in Sydney, but Newtown’s The Hub Theatre has been left empty for the last 25 years.
Situated off King Street, the venue, built in 1913 and hosting a gorgeous vaudeville theatre, has been home of the Sydney Film Festival, a place to go for the neighbouring migrant community to watch foreign films, and eventually it was also used as an adult cinema.
Michael Vale hopes to reopen the venue, turning it into Sydney’s House of Brews.
Vale is a Sydney hospitality consultant and with almost 40 years of industry experience he has built 45 businesses in Sydney, including cafes, pubs, restaurants, and bars, as well as spearheading Café del Mar’s opening in Australia.
Michael says: “I’ve always thought that Sydney, a first world city of five million people, has never really had an elevated entertainment project concept. Where you can have a fantastic meal, in very upmarket environment and just see a wonderful show all in the one space without your shoes sticking to the carpet.”
The new space will serve as a beer hall, entertainment, and performance venue, as well as an Australian artisan distillery bar.
The proposed Sydney’s House of Brews will work with five breweries and five distilleries from several Australian states, hoping to have most states represented at the venue.
The venue will also be used to host several performances and events using the iconic vaudeville stage, as well as digital screens.
When checking out the venue, Michael says he fell in love with the space immediately. Recognising the importance of preserving its history, he insists that it will remain untouched. “This is going to remain a vaudeville theatre. It was built in 1913 and if you look inside the theatre it is oozing with that atmosphere and that is not going to be touched.”
“Even the air conditioning won’t be exposed, it’s going to come through the lights. So, there will be nothing that takes away that vaudeville theatre classic 1913 building.”
The proposal is due to go to council soon, and Urban Village will continue to report on any developments.
