Paddington pub’s parklet approved to boost late-night dining

The Woollahra Council has approved a $50,000 parklet outside The London Hotel in Paddington, Sydney, aimed at boosting late-night dining ahead of the pub’s 150th anniversary. The 7.5-metre-long outdoor space will host 14 seats and extend the pub’s operating hours to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, aligning with the summer opening plan.

The decision, reached after a three-hour council meeting, drew both supporters and critics and comes with a package of more than 70 conditions that the pub must meet. Among the requirements are a ban on amplified music, security guards on peak nights, a no-smoking rule within the parklet, and barriers to separate diners from pedestrians. Council records show more than 400 submissions from locals, with some praising the move as a way to enliven Paddington’s dining scene and others warning it could worsen noise and mental health pressures, impede pedestrians with prams or dog walkers, and disrupt the local streetscape with the orange bollards used to delineate the space.

Councillors weighed a range of concerns. Councillor Mary-Lou Jarvis questioned the aesthetic fit of the parklet’s orange fluorescent bollards, while Councillor Toni Zeltzer warned about setting a precedent for further parklets. Woollahra Mayor Sarah Dixson said the plan aligns with the council’s parklet policy and argued it would provide more late-night dining options in the area. She added that having viable after-dark food options helps create a safer, more vibrant local economy.

Kingsley Smith, the London Hotel licensee, characterized the extension as modest: the parklet would add 14 seats beside a sidewalk table and would not flood the street with crowds. He said the parklet reflects a shift since the pandemic, with younger patrons preferring alfresco dining over indoor drinking. Local business advocate Jock Bell, a member of the Paddington Chamber of Commerce, called the parklet a positive development for the suburb, noting it would strengthen Paddington as a destination and enhance community ties, provided measures are in place to manage noise and safety.

Officials emphasized the project sits within Woollahra Council’s parklet policy, which is designed to balance economic revitalization with residents’ quality of life. The parklet is scheduled to open in time for summer, with the council planning ongoing monitoring to assess its impact in the initial months. The decision highlights a broader debate in Sydney about how to support night-time economies while safeguarding pedestrian access, noise levels, and the character of historic precincts.