Pubs encouraged to build hotel rooms ahead of 2032 Olympics
Suburban pubs in Brisbane are being encouraged to bring back old-school nightspots.
The council’s initiative is part of an effort to increase short-stay rooms ahead of the 2032 Olympics.
Planning regulations are to be changed to make it easier for pub owners to build new hotel rooms and conference facilities.
“We’re going back to the future,” Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner told the council chamber Tuesday afternoon.
“There was a time when every local bar was also a place to stay.
“These can be built much faster and much more affordably than inner-city high-rises… so we will encourage the industry to step up.”
There were approximately 21,000 hotel rooms in Brisbane in 2023, and thousands more have been built since then.
Redevelopment of 20 suburban bars could increase that number by about 1,600, according to the mayor’s office.
Some councilors questioned the announcement and independent Nicole Johnston said it could cause major difficulties.
“If the mayor thinks it’s a good idea to allow large suburban bar developments adjacent to quiet residential areas, I think he may have spent too long at the bar,” he said.
“That’s already a challenge in the Valley.”
The Labor opposition said the plan had some benefits but would not make a significant difference.
“It’s good to see the council finally trying to give Brisbane’s bars and motels a fair chance against Airbnb, a multinational giant that has operated largely unchecked for a decade,” leader Jared Cassidy said in a statement.
“This is a small point that Adrian Schrinner can make without actually taking meaningful action to address the housing and homelessness crisis.”
The announcement came hours after the mayor said the council was considering banning Airbnb in some areas.
Public consultation for the pub plan is open until February 28, 2026.
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