Following the sad loss of Frankie’s, and the impact of the pandemic, it can feel as if late night music venues are an endangered species, but the revival of Surry Hills’ Low 302 is a spark of hope.
Low 302 is something of a small-bar institution in the Harbour City, described by Operations Manager Luke Reimann as “one of the longest consecutively running cocktail bars and live music venues in Sydney.”
Luke works with Justin Small and family at the Small Pubs, Small Venues group, owners of both the Botany View Hotel in Newtown, and Low 302.
Bars & Clubs asked Luke what attracted the new management to the latter venue, and what their ambitions were heading into 2023.
“It was a bit of a no brainer for us given the rich history of amazing artists that have played,” Luke says.
“We’re not reinventing the wheel or anything, we’re just reinvigorating and breathing fresh life into what was already a great venue,” Luke explains.
Lockdowns and staff shortages had led to the bar limiting its opening hours, and remedying this is a main priority of the new management.
“Our plan is just to get that consistency back – get it back to seven days, keep it trading late at night (especially with poor old Frankie’s going by the wayside). There’s definitely a gap in the market for that sort of late-night venue. A lot of the other small bars close at about midnight, we trade until 2am.”
The importance of the late night economy
Regarding the closure of Frankie’s, Luke says: “The timing’s just awful, for such a valued member of the fraternity to go, it’s almost incumbent on other venues like us to pick up the slack and keep that late night offering going too, especially as we pride ourselves [in Sydney] on being a cosmopolitan city.”
Luke is also convinced of the importance of late night venues to the wider community, and to the hospitality ecosystem.
“[Low 302] is also a bit of a gateway place before places like ARQ, which is reopened now and is just up the road.”
Luke also highlights how venues like Low 302 can serve specific communities.
“With us being such an LGBT safe space as well, that whole area just needs a venue like that again.”
“The first and foremost rule of Low for the entire time that I’ve known it is that’s it’s always been the true definition of all inclusive,” Luke continues.
“We don’t care who you are, what you look like, what you do, what you think, what you feel. We’ve got strict no dickheads policy and that’s pretty much it. If you’re if you’re nice to everyone else, and you’re okay by us.
“The drinks menu has to sort of reflect that.”
High quality, Low 302
Indeed, Luke details how reinvigoration of Low 302 will involve a refreshed drinks offering, with the focus placed on the bar’s heritage as a stellar location for cocktail bartending.
“It’s historically been an almost 80 per cent cocktail orientated venue,” Luke says
A combination of updated techniques and a revival of traditional methods is integral to this new menu, as the Operations Manager describes.
“We really like our fresh produce. We’re using a lot of seasonals and fruits and things like that, but also bringing back a few of the older traditions, some stuff that’s sort of gone by the wayside – home-infused spirits and a lot of fun stuff like that.”
This approach is on show with the bar’s bespoke ‘S.A.S (Smoked Amaretto Sour)’ cocktail – see the recipe here.
The revamped venue will also feature a new food offering, with the kitchen (closed for a time under previous management) reopened, and a full menu on the way in February.
“It’s a modest little menu to begin with, but bringing back substantial late night foods is also a major focus, because it’s something that’s really lacking in the area in general,” Luke says.
“The new chef that we’ve brought in and I have been working really hard on some new stuff – we’re looking at funky things like fondue and some more upmarket but still suits that booths, good cocktails on the table, kind of sharing options.”
Ensuring entertainment
A key aspect of the Low 302 concept is its live music offering, and Luke explains how the venue hopes to provide a home to Sydney’s best performers.
“We’ll be getting back to the grass roots of the venue, which was always jazz to begin with – Sunday Jazz was legendary for 10 plus years.”
In addition to jazz, Luke says patrons can expect burlesque performances, DJs, bands and singer-songwriter evenings.
And ultimately, for the Small Pubs, Small Venues group, its key point of difference will be the focus on live music.
“There overarching idea is that there are quite a few successful pub groups out there, but none that are truly focusing on live music,” Luke says.
“We just want to be the benchmark of live music in Sydney, that’s the long term.”
