Cooks Hill pub plans to triple outdoor capacity in live music shift

The Cricketers Arms Hotel has lodged an application to increase the capacity of its outdoor area from 82 to 300 patrons. The proposal also involves keeping the outdoor area open an extra two hours until midnight.

The pub wants to extend its outdoor live music hours from 9.30pm to 10pm and its outdoor speaker music hours from 10pm until midnight at "reduced levels".

Tables would be removed within the outdoor dining area to prioritise entertainment during peak periods.

The venue is also seeking to have indoor live music up to the licensed hours with doors and windows closed to reduce noise transmission.

The plan proposes limits on sound levels and glazed windows to minimise impacts on the surrounding area.

The application said the proposed changes aimed to "enhance the functionality and capacity of the outdoor area" while complying with development standards.

The plan does not propose physical changes to the building while staff numbers, general operating hours or waste management procedures will also remain the same.

The pub is bordered by medium-density residential apartments to the southeast and a low-density residential dwelling to the southwest.

Documents lodged with the application state the proposal may result in additional patronage, particularly during peak times on Friday and Saturday nights which had the potential to increase traffic volume in the area.

However a traffic and parking assessment lodged with a 2021 development application found on-street parking was "sufficient" during peak hours.