LAST week the publican and licensee of the Bodalla Arms Hotel, Michelle Coric was alerted by a concerned local that a handful of neighbours near the hotel were taking up a petition to be forwarded to OLGAR (Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing) opposing live music at the Bodalla Hotel.
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Michelle said that the news had saddened her and locals alike.
“The Bodalla Arms Hotel has been operating as a pub for more than 100 years, well before most of the houses in Bodalla were built,” Michelle said.
“The hotel has always had live music and dances and for years people have bought and sold their houses near the pub.
“If I was going to buy a house near a pub that has been there for more than a century and I didn't like music or laughter I would think twice before I purchased or rented the place,” she said.
Michelle said she has met her legal obligation to not have noise pollution, something she is extremely careful of.
“I think if I can hear my TV and my twins cry in the next room then the music is not too loud. I close on time and I have never had the police turn up at the pub asking us to turn down the music as it’s too loud.”
After the news that there was a petition to close live music at the Bodalla Arms Hotel, another petition appeared on-line at change.org in support of the hotel.
The new petition was started without the knowledge or endorsement of the owners of the Bodalla Arms Hotel by a visitor to the area and directed to Eurobodalla Shire Council.
The petition supporting live music at the Bodalla Arms Hotel first started on Wednesday and by Monday morning it had 695 signatures.
Mayor Lindsay Brown said that although the petition had been directed to council, it was not relevant to them at this time.
“Live Music in the shire is an important part of our social fabric and we totally support it,” Clr Brown said.
“Although council is not involved at this stage, we would hate to see venues lose live music.”
The Bodalla Arms Hotel only has a live music event about once a fortnight with licensee, Michelle Coric maintaining that they were professional about how they conducted their business and were mindful of complaints.
“However, on Sunday afternoons at 2pm I receive phone calls to tell me to turn the music down I think now… really?” she said.
The Bodalla Arms Hotel runs raffles on a Thursday night that raises money for local children’s soccer and Bodalla Public School.
“Maybe our laughter is too much for some people,” she said.
The Change.org counter petition
This petition is started without the knowledge or endorsement of the owners and proprietors of the Bodalla Arms Hotel.
I'm not a local, none of my family are locals and the closest we've ever come to being locals is when we invade at Christmas time to clear out the award winning bakery and get sunburned at the Point. Every year since I can remember I've trekked down to this sleepy little town with a blink and you'll miss it landscape with my family to enjoy the beach, the sun and the atmosphere of relaxation and fun. My grandparents lived at Potato Point for many years. It's a place I fully intend to take my children to, just as my parents took me when I was barely walking. I came to think of this little community as a place forever in my heart as the best holiday destination in the world. Quiet, peaceful and serene.
But that doesn't mean I don't like my music. It also doesn't mean I like to see it when a small group of people want to deaden the atmosphere of an iconic little place for no reason other than they've bought a house in the wrong part of town without looking at the blatantly obvious.
I've never seen these kinds of situations end well. I've never seen the majority win because councils run via their own rules.
Just this once though, can you listen to the will of the people?
Don't stifle a community's outlet for funk, jive, boot scootin' and general boogie on down. It's just not right. We, the undersigned, do not wish to see the current Live Music schedule at the Bodalla Arms Hotel altered or muted in any way, shape or form.