Beloved Sydney Pub and Live Music Venue The Lansdowne Will Close in April

In heartbreaking news for Sydney's battered live music and arts industry, City Road's iconic pub and concert venue The Lansdowne is set to close down once again.

The Lansdowne will close its doors to punters this April, five years on from its original resurrection by the Mary's crew in 2017. The Mary's team announced they would be revoking their custodianship of the venue on Instagram today, after landlords made the decision to close the upstairs gig room.

"We are heartbroken to announce that our time with the beloved Lansdowne Hotel is coming to an end," the statement read. "Our lease is due to expire in the coming months, and the Landlords have chosen to close the Gig Room to build more hostel accommodation. This was not a part of our vision for the Lansdowne, and as such, we have decided to call time on our custodianship of this iconic live music venue."

The Lansdowne has stood proudly on the corner of Broadway and City Road for decades, acting as a breeding ground for local upcoming bands throughout the 80s and 90s through until today. After closing in 2015, it was revitalised two years later by Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham of Mary's.

The reopening saw the original grimy interior preserved with minor changes including the swapping of pokies for pinball machines and the introduction of Mary's signature pizza and burgers. The reopening also saw the pub return as a mainstay of the local live music scene, hosting bands in its gig room and DJs downstairs multiple times a week for the past five years.

During this time, the venue has hosted countless local acts alongside international stars including the likes of Billie Eilish, Idles, The Cribs and Hot Chip.

"2022 was shaping up to be one of the busiest at the Lansdowne, due to the growing community of artists and punters who are passionate supporters of music, art and culture. It is deeply upsetting to call time on an icon, at the height of her powers," continued the statement on Instagram.

Mary's confirmed it would be working with the landlords at The Lansdowne to facilitate all gigs booked in between now and the end of April.

While the gig room and the pub in its current form will be closing, it's not yet clear if the lower level of the hotel could be taken over by a new publican after the lease with Mary's ends.

More to come.

 

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The Lansdowne Hotel is located at 2-6 City Road, Chippendale. It will remain open until the end of April 2022. This is a developing story, and we'll be sure to bring you more information as it becomes available.