East Sydney Hotel
RICH chapter in Sydney's pub culture will come to an end this weekend when Harald and Trish Muller pour their last beers at the iconic East Sydney Hotel.
All they hope is that the commitment they made 15 years ago to keep one of Sydney's oldest pubs forever free of pokies, doesn't eventually follow them out the door.
When pokies were introduced to pubs in 1999, the Mullers were one of the few publicans to reject them. It was a decision that has afforded the pub an icon status among rivals.
"I refused to take part in ripping off working class people," Mr Muller says.
"And that's what they were designed to do. They were designed to take money off families who can least afford it."
It was this decision, they claim, that has been the key to the success and survival of one of Sydney's oldest pubs, first built on the corner of Crown and Cathedral streets in 1856 as the Shamrock Hotel.
"We said we would keep it in the tradition of what a pub was designed for in the first place…a wonderful meeting place," he says.
"And we have proven the point that you can make a good living out of a pub without pokies."
But after 35 years, they have finally sold out of the pub business. "We want to now enjoy the fruits of our labour," Muller says.
That labour included many days and nights working behind their own bar.
"It's probably why we didnt go broke, " Muller jokes.
"But in all that time, we have never had a fight in this pub, we've never had security. And we've never had a pokie machine.
"It's sad to leave but, it was time to move on, to do something different."
The new owners, a Sydney family, are believed to be committed to keeping the pokie ban.
Source: The Telegraph
East Sydney Hotel
RICH chapter in Sydney's pub culture will come to an end this weekend when Harald and Trish Muller pour their last beers at the iconic East Sydney Hotel.
All they hope is that the commitment they made 15 years ago to keep one of Sydney's oldest pubs forever free of pokies, doesn't eventually follow them out the door.
When pokies were introduced to pubs in 1999, the Mullers were one of the few publicans to reject them. It was a decision that has afforded the pub an icon status among rivals.
"I refused to take part in ripping off working class people," Mr Muller says.
"And that's what they were designed to do. They were designed to take money off families who can least afford it."
It was this decision, they claim, that has been the key to the success and survival of one of Sydney's oldest pubs, first built on the corner of Crown and Cathedral streets in 1856 as the Shamrock Hotel.
"We said we would keep it in the tradition of what a pub was designed for in the first place…a wonderful meeting place," he says.
"And we have proven the point that you can make a good living out of a pub without pokies."
But after 35 years, they have finally sold out of the pub business. "We want to now enjoy the fruits of our labour," Muller says.
That labour included many days and nights working behind their own bar.
"It's probably why we didnt go broke, " Muller jokes.
"But in all that time, we have never had a fight in this pub, we've never had security. And we've never had a pokie machine.
"It's sad to leave but, it was time to move on, to do something different."
The new owners, a Sydney family, are believed to be committed to keeping the pokie ban.
Source: The Telegraph