Designated Live Music Venues Survey

Firstly, here are the clearly stated outcomes of the Special Purpose Legislation:

Government Legislation: 

The Malinauskas Labor Government will introduce special-purpose legislation to State Parliament this month to secure the long-term future of the Crown and Anchor Hotel as a live music venue, protecting it from demolition and ensuring its continued operation as a pub with an untethered right to play music. As of Friday 23rd August 2024, the full wording of the legislation has not been released. We will update the community once we know more. We expect to be able to share it toward the end of next week.

Cultural and Heritage Preservation: 

The Crown & Anchor Hotel cannot be demolished, cannot be built over, and its current land use as a hotel and live music venue are to be preserved in perpetuity. This solution preserves one of Adelaide’s iconic live music venues, balancing the needs of heritage, culture, and housing development. This means the Cranker will always be a pub, and always a home to live music.

Live Music Protections: 

The legislation will amend planning laws to protect key live music pubs in Adelaide from noise complaints from future developments. New developments adjacent to existing music venues will require noise attenuation and acoustic treatments.

Developer Agreement: 

Under the agreement reached between the State Government, Wee Hur Holdings Ltd, and Save the Cranker campaigners, the developer is permitted to build up to 29-storeys on the site adjoining the hotel, in part, to cover floor space lost.

Temporary Closure: 

The Crown and Anchor Hotel will temporarily close for up to two years (legislated) for the development of student accommodation and installation of acoustic treatments. The Development Approval limits any closure period to a maximum of two years. The Cranker will reopen with the current operator, Tom Skipper, being given first right of return.

Win-Win-Win Outcome: 

The agreement represents a win for the community, the developer, and the government, ensuring no taxpayer money is used while addressing the housing crisis and protecting cultural heritage. Every alternative resulted in the pub either being demolished or ceasing to trade.

Where To from Here?

The Save the Cranker campaign will continue its efforts to support the community throughout this transition phase and beyond.

We understand the uncertainty in our community about the Crown and Anchor Hotel’s closure. We know the risks this period brings but let us assure you: we’re actively working with Skip, the current proprietor, to find a solution to supporting our community during this transition. We’re committed to holding the government and Wee Hur to their promises. We’re not done yet. Not by a long shot.

Future Vigilance: 

The Save the Cranker campaign will act as watchdogs over alterations to the Cranker, ensuring the agreed-upon changes are implemented effectively and maintaining the venue's cultural significance. We don’t think it’s possible to get through life with your eyes open and not develop a healthy level of skepticism. We’re proud of anyone mature enough to say they’ll believe it when they see it. We will act on good faith yet take nothing for granted.

A Temporary Home for The Cranker:

Publican Tom Skipper is currently working with several stakeholders to secure a new site to act as our home during the coming closure. The Save The Cranker campaign stands alongside him. We’re doing our best to ensure continuity of employment for the staff, continuity of operation for the live music industry, and continuity of community for you, the patrons. Let us all unite to follow Skip’s lead on what we do next (see below).

Publican’s Statement:

Tom Skipper: The Crown and Anchor Hotel is a cornerstone of Adelaide's cultural fabric, a place where our community gathers to celebrate creativity and camaraderie. The recent developments have tested our resilience, but they have also underscored the immense value that our community places on this institution. I want to personally thank every single one of you who has supported the Save The Cranker campaign. Your passion, dedication, and unyielding spirit have not only saved a building but preserved a legacy. While the next two years will bring challenges as we temporarily close our doors for necessary development, I am committed to ensuring that the Cranker will return stronger than ever. 

In the interim, we are working tirelessly to find a temporary home that will allow us to continue serving as Adelaide's hub for live music and community gatherings. We owe it to our staff, our patrons, and the artists who make the Cranker what it is today. Let us remain united in our efforts as we navigate this transition. The Cranker has always been more than just a venue; it is a symbol of what we can achieve when we stand together. We will see this through, and when we reopen, it will be with the same spirit that has carried us through this fight.

What Happened re: Heritage Listing?

State Heritage Place listing, within the current heritage system, would save the building but it was never a guarantee of saving the Cranker's operation as a pub…or the culture…or the right to play live music. The Premier and his staff are aware of our policy brief proposing revisions to state heritage and planning laws to make South Australia a leader in, not only preserving built form but also, seeking innovative ways to protect the intangible cultural heritage of our great city of Adelaide as a UNESCO City of Music. This is intended to benefit our wider cultural heritage and is still in play. Unfortunately, the wheels of progress would not have moved fast enough to save the Cranker. The reality is, even if state government take every recommendation and implement them, it would still take a few years to take land and effect.

The new bespoke protection that the Cranker will have under this special legislation protects, not just the building (like State Heritage would) but, the operation of the building as both a pub and as a live music venue. It's much more fit for purpose than the current planning system or heritage system could provide.

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Some say Premier Peter Malinauskas bowed to populism. Come to your own conclusions. As people represented our community that saw how it went down firsthand, that is not our view. His government listened to a passionate, organised, and mature community that were active, refused to be ignored, and sustained their fight. This was a monumental effort, driven by people like you who answered the call to serve your community.

Some may see this win as incomplete. The ultimate win would have been that the student accommodation was built elsewhere. Wish as we might, that was never going to happen. Once the building was sold to Wee Hur, there was no un-ringing of the bell. It is a compromise.

However, let’s look at what was achieved. We faced enormous odds and yet secured a victory that State Heritage couldn’t have offered. The developers, having invested heavily, were never going to walk away. The government’s solution, at no cost to taxpayers, is a testament to what can be accomplished when we stand together.

Save The Cranker Campaign Achievements:

We (as in all of us; the board, team members, volunteers, and public supporters):

Filled the gallery at the council chambers when the City of Adelaide passed a motion urging the Premier to intervene.

Sent over 300 letters to the Legislative Council backing Robert Simms’ motion and packed out the gallery when it was passed.

Rallied a record-breaking number of SCAP submissions, shattering the previous record fourfold.

Gathered over 24,000 signatures on one petition and over 800 on another.

Crafted a letter-writing campaign that offered real solutions to the government.

Tirelessly created content across our social channels to keep our cause front and center.

Took interviews, ensuring the voice of the campaign was heard far and wide.

Developed a 23-page Policy Brief with a legislative pathway and a framework to assess intangible cultural heritage.

Threw two unforgettable rallies.

Established a complex campaign management structure including multiple branches and teams; Heritage and Research, SCAP Submission, Digital Media, Strategy, State Heritage Application, Grass Tops Campaign, Community Activation, Rally Volunteers, and Grass Roots Campaign. At one point, 18 active chats were all simultaneously working towards our mission.

Over 100 individuals have directly contributed their time and effort to the campaign.

Onboarded members based on their skills, ensuring confidentiality and commitment.

Worked with all sides of government, bringing them together to serve the people at every level.

Applied pressure on laws and legislation that fall short of community expectations, never attacking individuals, but the systems that need reform.

Built trust, creating networks that will last far beyond this campaign.

Negotiated directly with the Premier Peter Malinauskas to ensure our victory was solidified.

We made history, people.

And now, together, we will keep them to their word and find a way to provide continuity to our community and culture through the next few years. There are further battles before us. If we stand together as we did before, we will make it through this.

As for our campaign, we’re not letting up.

And to the wonderful staff across the four venues, Tom Skipper is committed to your well-being. For the part of the STC, we’ll do everything we can to support a ‘Cranker in Exile’ until our diasporic community (meaning, the scattering of a group from their established homeland) is safely back home.

Much love always,

Save The Cranker Campaign Oversight Board

Grace Forbes - Secretariat 

Christine Slater - Head Researcher

Dan Kirk - Director of Event Management and Media

Dr Nazz Oldham - Director of Community

Patrick Maher - Director of Strategy

Evan Morony - Chair

Crown and Anchor Hotel

Tom Skipper Publican and Custodian