Sandringham Hotel, Newtown

The Sandringham Hotel, locally known as The Sando, was a pub in the inner-west suburb of Newtown in Sydney, Australia. The pub first opened in 1870 and has a long history and is the spiritual homeland to several of Sydney's bands, including Frenzal Rhomb and The Whitlams.

Before renovations in the late 1990s, the pub had a unique layout. The bar had an art-deco theme and was essentially a large square in the middle of the pub. It was possible to sit at the bar and watch the band who were at the other side of the bar in the corner. The front-middle stage used to jut into one corner of the square bar allowing performers to rest their beer on the bar at the front of the stage.

Following further renovations, the pub was bought in 2005 by music promoter Tony Townsend intending to revitalise the Sando as a live music venue. In June 2012, the Sandringham Hotel was placed in receivership with management owing a reported $3.6 million to creditors.^[1] The impending closure of the popular venue caused fans to mobilise a rally to "Save The Sando" on 26 August. The event was publicly supported by musicians Angry Anderson and Tim Freedman and saw an estimated 3000 supporters gather on King Street outside the pub while The Angels former frontman Doc Neeson played to the crowd.^[2]

In October of the same year, The Sando was purchased by the owners of popular Melbourne rock venue The Corner Hotel and renamed The Newtown Social Club.^[3] The band room upstairs reopened in May 2014 with an audience capacity of 300, hosting live acts several nights per week.^[4]

Popular culture

• In 1997, Australian band The Whitlams wrote a song about the pub, "God Drinks At The Sando". It appeared on their 1999 album Love This City.
• In 2002, Australian singer/songwriter Jodi Martin recorded her live album, Twenty One Stairs - Live at the Sando.

References

• Whitlams Website, Accessed July 2006.

External links

• Sandringham Hotel in the Sydney Pub Guide
• Pub review on whereisthepub.org