Introducing… The Terrace Bar Newcastle
Image courtesy of Chris Hearn
On the back of growing support for Matthew Endacott’s small bars petition, we’re absolutely over the moon to hear news of a new small bar in Newcastle opening next month! After launching this project 9 months ago, most of the formalities have been taken care of and the opening night of the 22 June has been set. The Terrace Bar will feature 2 levels with the top level being half inside space and half rooftop beer garden. It will be home to plenty of live music, displays from filmmakers, performance artists, poets and even the odd lecture or debate. What ever the community wants to see! The bar aims to be a non-rock music venue that will feature a range of both local and visiting acts. With so many creative types in Newcastle, it’s great to see a venue being created that will give them a space of their own and make them so much easier to find. You’ll be able to taste a selection of gorgeous organic and vegan treats from mostly locally produced goods from the Hunter Valley region, keeping the carbon foot-print down. Being so close to the Hunter Valley, the Newcastle’s Terrace Bar will also be serving a handpicked selection of boutique beers and wines for the more sophisticated tastes.
We asked Chris a few questions about the project and what he hopes the Terrace bar could mean for Newcastle:
1. How long ago did you decide that you were going to make this project happen?
“I’ve wanted to do it all my life, when the Raise the Bar campaign started in 2007 (which fought for changes in legislation that brought about the existence of new and obtainable liquor licenses), I began to take it more seriously, and started putting things in to plan. I ended up becoming a dad not long after and put the idea to rest for a while. Last year when I found a great location to work with, the time felt right, so I started to run with it.”
2. What/who has been the biggest help to you in getting this project off the ground?
“I have a really great team working on this project with me, many of them volunteering their time and skills, because they see the value in a little thing like this opening up in their town, and they want to see it happen! In particular, Vincent Macfadyen and Max White, the two boys who run the record store White’s Records in Newcastle mall have been incomparably awesome in just giving and giving and giving their time, coming down pretty much every day to give me a hand and sharing their tools, and giving me cigarettes when I’ve spent all my money on paint and timber. Also, Emma Taylor, owner of the next door neighbouring clothing boutique Emma Soup has been there from the beginning, both designing and helping put together the interior of the bar.”
3. How do you feel about the incredible response that the Terrace Bar project received on Pozible?
“Well, incredible! I thought that we’d get a few bands I’ve booked before throwing in a few bucks to help pay for a PA that they could play through in our upstairs venue, but I think that in fact most of the response has come from people who want a new place to go to, are excited about a small bar opening up in Newcastle, and really want to get behind us and help us get on our feet! It’s really heartwarming to feel like we’re not doing it on our own, but there’s a whole community behind us! It’d be really lovely to see if people keep on pledging and taking some of the weight off getting this project up and running - and it’s super worthwhile for them too. We’ve been giving out opening night tickets to people who pledge over $25 (and an after party too for over $35), and three quarters of the tickets have been snapped up already! Since it’s a low capacity venue, we can only fit 120 people in including staff and performers, so I decided to use our fundraising on Pozible so people who really wanted to come to the opening could make sure they could! If you want to come along, please check it out!”
4. If people continue to pledge money to the Terrace Bar, what would you put that money towards?
“Well this place is opening on a really low budget, and there’s a fair few things that we really wanted to buy, but figured they’d have to wait a while until a bit of cash flowed in, and get them later down the line - like fixing a bit of a garden area with some vines growing up the walls around the outdoor beer garden upstairs, a couple of turntables, and a coolroom out the back so that we never have to worry about running out of beer!”
5. What do you hope the Terrace Bar will do for Newcastle, its nightlife and creative culture?
“We’re just going to be a safe, happy little space, hopefully where people like me who didn’t really want to go out in Newcastle might want to come along to for a nice night out. As far as creative things go, I think we’re going to offer a space to a lot of Newcastle bands and artists that haven’t really had a place of their own before, which is really exciting! I’ve mainly worked with bands in the past, booking shows all around Newcastle, but it’s never really felt like home. Since Newcastle doesn’t have access to as much media as Sydney, since we don’t have stations like FBi and 2ser, I feel like a lot of the live music going on is focused on what’s on triple J, or is pretty genre specific, like blues at one place, covers at another place, etc. There are a lot of great bands in Newcastle that don’t fit that mould, are a little bit more underground perhaps, and a lot of bands like that too that want to come through here on tour, but don’t have a venue that isn’t interested in having them play unless they have a song on the radio. I know people in Newcastle have better taste than that though! As far as other arts go, I just can’t wait to have the projector running and see what we can pull out of some of Newcastle’s fascinating creative people go. I always thought it was a shame that over the This is Not Art weekend, so much interesting stuff was happening in and being exhibited in Newcastle, but then there wasn’t a dedicated venue for anything like that the rest of the year. I’m hoping to fill that gap.”
6. Is there any advice out there that you could give to anyone else is thinking of opening a small bar in Newcastle?
“Make sure you really want to do it first! Getting this place open has been a test on my soul and my body and my wallet. It wasn’t impossible, but there’s been times when I’ve stood back and wondering what the hell I was doing! I’m lucky to have a really great support network and community behind this project to work with together on, and without them I’d be nowhere, I think that’s key too. And also - open on Darby St! Every time I go out for dinner I want to go to a nice little bar and have a drink afterwards, and I can never believe that there anywhere. What’s going on there? I reckon there’s no way it could go wrong.”
Chris from the Terrace Bar launched a campaign on Pozible only 4 days ago with a target of $5,000. This was to go towards purchasing a high quality PA system and other much needed equipment for the bar. With overwhelming support they have already reached their target as the pledges are continuing to roll in. If you’re interested in getting involved with the Terrace Bar and at the same time support all small bars in Newcastle, here is your chance.
Being a small bar with an extremely limited capacity, the only way to score entry into the opening night is head over to Pozible and put your support behind the bar. There are a range of pledge options ranging from a personal thank you on their website for $1 to my personal favorite, having a cocktail named after you for $1000! The more money raised, the more awesome this little bar will be!
To keep track of their progress and get updates, check out The Terrace Bar Newcastle Facebook page!
That’s cool, definitely a step in the right direction. Higher brow is great, try not to be too-high-brow with the food and drinks though, don’t want to alienate patrons who might want to try something new followed by something a little more familiar. A low-key, happy little venue is what’s needed here first.