Newtown Hotel Relaunch Promises Nightlife That’s “Bigger & Gayer Than Ever”

Those wandering down King Street may have seen a few changes at the Newtown Hotel over the last few months.

Last year, Universal Hotel Group and long‑time Darlinghurst publican Sue Cameron traded leaseholds in a rare one‑for‑one pub swap. A proud lesbian and stalwart of the Sydney hospitality scene, Cameron has voiced her intent to breathe new life into the venue, reinstating what is a historically queer pub back into the hands of the queer community that gave it its name.

Its official relaunch was held on the last Saturday of January, and amidst the haze of a late summer evening and $5 glasses of bubbles on offer, there was the definite buzz of optimism in the air.

Speaking to Star Observer early on in the night, Cameron said the pub’s purchase was partially inspired by the impact of lesbian entrepreneur Dawn O’Donnell, one of the early influencers of the Sydney gay club scene, and former owner of the Newtown Hotel.

“I’m just walking in the footsteps of someone really fabulous,” she said. “I don’t want to recreate or rewrite anything. I just want to have people come back here that remember this hotel for what it was. I want to create something in here that’s special for a generation in memory.

“Things have changed so much so. Now we have gay marriage, we have so much more than we had back then. But does that mean we have to lose our identity in the places that we go to?”

Speaking to Cameron, it’s clear that community-led entertainment is one of her priorities in this rebrand, somewhere patrons can get a proper meal and a show. The hotel boasts five resident drag queens on its line up, ready to prance around the stage for your viewing pleasure.

“I live in Darlinghurst, and I am seeing queer venues fall by the wayside,” said Jacqui St.Hyde. “They are dropping like flies, so it is nice that here in Newtown, they are thriving and coming back bigger and stronger and gayer than ever, hunny.”

Bettie Blackheart referenced the Newtown’s strong history of iconic drag and showgirl performances throughout the decades, with appearances from legends like Robyn Lee and Simone Troy.

“It’s always been a special place where a drag can be appreciated by not just the queers, but you’ve got straight people, the students, that come here that really enjoy it, and I think it’s a good melting pot.

“So I think it’s a revival and someone breathing a bit of new life into it. It’s absolutely fantastic and well deserved for a venue that holds so much drag history as well.”

Although queens have left an indelible mark on the Newtown, the change of ownership has led to a more diverse range of performances, including the addition three resident kings, a notoriously undervalued group of artists.

A legend of the Sydney drag scene for more than three decades, Sexy Galexy said that they’d been in conversations for months about reinstating regular drag king shows in Sydney, and it just so happened that the stars aligned at the Newtown.

“A lot of the drag kings are excited to be able to have representation in a venue like this on a Saturday,” she said.

“Having a really nice venue, like the Newtown to spotlight them, I think it makes them feel really good to have a really nice stage to perform on, in front of their own community plus the general public, to give some really great exposure.”

The hotel has undergone some light renovations- the second level now features an elevated stage, complete with a piano, in front of a mural of queer icons including Chappell Roan, RuPaul, and of course, O’Donnell herself. But for the most part, it’s the same venue we’ve had for years.

For the crowds who’ve made the Newtown their local these last few years, there shouldn’t be too many ruffled feathers. But for the ever-growing queer community in the Inner West, especially along King Street, it feels a bit like a reclamation.

“I just thought this is possibly an opportunity for my swan song,” Cameron said. “It’s my opportunity to go, I’ve created something special, and this is my goodbye wish.”