Kinselas is killing me

Brent Hardie likes living at the Vivere apartments next to Kinselas Hotel at the Taylor Square end of Oxford Street.

However, since April 2011, his idyllic lifestyle was shattered, having to endure loud noise from Kinselas from 6pm to 430am on weekends and several times during the week.

Mr Hardie said: “I understand the problems of living so close to a pub. And I expect noise till 12am but it’s everyday of the week!

“It is like flogging a dead horse. The council rangers take details but nothing seems to happen.”

Mr Hardie decided to buy because the he enjoyed living at the Vivere and when he was renting he did not experience any noise problems.

“But since I bought it, I can’t sleep. They increased the floors but have not soundproofed,” Hardie said.

Kinselas Hotel on Bourke Street extended their entertainment area to a third floor in September 2010.

Since April 2011, noise complaints have been made to the Sydney City Council and the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing (OLGR).

Residents lodged written complaints including six statutory declarations to OLGR in October 2011.

One of the participating residents, Tony Valentine, said: “OLGR attended Kinselas and issued an infringement and they told us they will be taking action.”

A spokesperson for Trade and Investment, of which the OLGR is a division, said: “In October 2011, OLGR received a complaint regarding noise emanating from Kinselas Hotel.

“Following the complaint, OLGR attended the hotel and made a number of inquiries in relation to the hotel’s operations. Compliance action was taken against the licensee for failing to comply with a condition of the hotel’s liquor license.

“The hotel’s licensee agreed to implement practices to reduce noise by providing a direct telephone hotline for neighbours, convening meetings with neighbours to resolve noise related issues and conducting a letter box drop to neighbours regarding noise disturbances issues.”

Mr Hardie called the hotline Kinselas set up on two occasions but the number was turned off and ‘currently unattended’.

City News contacted Paddy Coughlan CEO of Riversdale Group, which manages Kinselas, but he did not return City News’ calls.

The Riversdale Group purchased Kinselas for $12m at the beginning of 2011.

The City of Sydney Council assesses new licensed venues and sets noise limits for each development it approves.

Licensee of the Colombian, another major pub on Oxford Street, Robert Doran, said: “Normally the [noise condition] levels set by the council are conservative.

“At the Colombian, we have absorption panelling and ‘magnetised windows’ to stop noise from going outside the venue.

We follow the steps set by the Council so there is no breach.”

By Su-Lin Tan