Saturday, 20 March 3.01pm
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My Fave Unrenovated Pubs


It's hard to find a Sydney pub that's still unrenovated. Almost all of them have had their souls ripped out thanks to million-buck renovations. Sure they look spiffy, but honestly, all that shiny chrome gives me the creeps. Give me the good old worn out charm of yesterday. Preserve those leaky bathrooms. Leave the scungy beer-sodden carpet right where it is! Here are some of my favourite pubs. They're the last surviving scunge pubs of Sydney - a blessed (but endangered) breed.

1
 
Courthouse Hotel
Newtown
Testify! When there's heavy rain, the ceiling leaks. Then there's the green carpet, the old tiles and the no-frills backyard beer garden. I rest my case. See you there and you can buy me a VB. I'm waiting.

2
 
Hotel Hollywood
Surry Hills
This place is apparently owned by a vintage Hollywood starlet, but there's no glitz here. The bathrooms take the term 'run down' to a new low. But this place gives me a natural high. Wander up to the well-worn bar and rub shoulders with locals, artists, blue-collars, white-collars and no-collar lay-abouts with plenty of conversation at the ready.

3
 
Friend in Hand Hotel
Glebe
Who needs a spiffy pub renovation when you've got the whole junkyard-chic theme going on? This corner boozer has Aussie memorabilia, worn-out street signs, a live cockatoo and a prosthetic leg thrown in for good measure. Seriously. The carpet is scungy and there's crab racing on Wednesdays. Enough said.