The Crown & Anchor’s temporary home revealed
EXCLUSIVE: Iconic East End pub and live music venue The Crown & Anchor will go west for two years while the construction of a student accommodation tower next door gets underway.
The Crown & Anchor will take up a temporary residency in another of Adelaide’s historic live music venues from mid-July to enable Singaporean landowner Wee Hur Holdings to build its planned 29-storey student accommodation tower on the land next to the pub.
CityMag can reveal that The Crown & Anchor will go west in July, and will live on at The Ed Castle Hotel for two years, taking full advantage of the pub kitchen to boot.
The Ed Castle sits on the corner of Currie and Gray Street and has been closed for a year after the former owners went into liquidation just two months after reopening the renovated space.
Liquidators of Trident House said that even though the company invested substantial sums in the space, it could not commence trading due to long delays in power restoration, low foot traffic near the pub, and increases in excise taxes on alcohol.
Before that, The Ed Castle’s publican Tony Bond ceased trading in 2018 because of the development of an $80 million student accommodation tower directly behind the pub.
The Edinburgh Castle pub. Photo: Thomas Kelsall/InDaily.
It is serendipitous then that the Crown & Anchor will now live on in that West End space – just under 2 kilometres down the road.
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In a letter sent to Crown & Anchor staff, seen by CityMag, publican Tom Skipper says the new space will be “just as legendary as the last”.
“After months of negotiations and discussions, I’ve secured this historic venue to keep the Cranker spirit alive while construction takes place on our original site. The move ensures that our team stays together, our music continues and our community still has a place to call home,” Skipper says.
“This relocation wouldn’t have been possible without the strong support of the South Australian Government. The Premier has backed us in ensuring live music remains a central part of the city and this move gives us the chance to bring fresh energy to the West End.
“The Ed Castle is a venue with deep history and, with our team at the helm, we’ll be breathing new life into its walls with the same music, culture and heart that has made the Cranker an institution.”
Skipper says he will make sure that “all the things that make us who we are” will remain at the temporary venue, including Wednesday night specials.
The pub kitchen will be taken full advantage of Skipper says, with classic pub meals to elevate the experience for all patrons.
“We’ll be reopening the Wednesday after we close the Cranker in late July, ensuring we don’t miss a beat,” he says.
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“I know this move is a big change, but I also know that what makes the Cranker special isn’t just the building—it’s you, our staff, our musicians and our loyal punters.
“With your support, The Cranker will live on at The Ed Castle and we’ll make this next chapter just as legendary as the last.”
The temporary closure of the Crown & Anchor will allow for the construction of a student accommodation complex adjoining the pub.
The pub was originally tipped to be demolished to make way for the student accommodation tower, but after the government negotiated with the developer legislation was created to protect the hotel from ever being destroyed.
It also means the pub must forever be able to play live music, and the current publican has first right of return to the venue on completion of the works, within two years.
A render of the reworked tower proposed for next to the Crown & Anchor on the Grenfell St/Frome St corner. The original plan aimed to gut the hotel and build directly above it. Image supplied by State Government
Premier Peter Malinauskas says Saving the Crown & Anchor is “an example of what can be achieved when government, the private sector and the community work together in a spirit of compromise to achieve something”.
“And this new temporary home for the Cranker is another excellent outcome,” he says.
“The Cranker will breathe new life into the Ed Castle, which has a rich history, but has sat vacant in recent times.
“We’re proud to have assisted the Cranker in the search for the temporary venue, and look forward to seeing live music ringing through the front bar at the Ed Castle once more.
“We also look forward to seeing the Cranker return to its rightful home in the East End as soon as this much-needed student accommodation is delivered.”
While The Crown & Anchor has found temporary digs, Skipper’s other venues Roxie’s, Midnight Spaghetti and Chateau Apollo are entering their final days.
Roxie’s and Chateau Apollo will be razed to make way for Wee Hur’s project. The pub’s closure will also accommodate the build and the venue’s band room will also be renovated over that time.
Skipper confirmed that Roxie’s and Chateau Apollo would close on 25 May.
Italian restaurant Midnight Spaghetti – which lives on the top floor of the Crown & Anchor – will also close in mid-July, with the 24-month closure of the pub “forcing Midnight Spaghetti to close its doors till then”.