Adelaide’s live music fans and pubgoers are brewing up a campaign to save beloved venue The Crown and Anchor — and South Australian brewing giant Coopers is now providing a special beer for the cause.
Early this year, developers Wee Hur Holdings submitted a proposal to redevelop The Crown and Anchor, lovingly referred to as the Cranker, into a 19-storey student housing complex.
Plans submitted to state government planning authorities show little would remain of the CBD pub, which holds a Local Heritage Place listing, beyond elements of its historic facade.
News of the proposal kickstarted a protest movement, driven by musicians and fans distraught by the potential loss of another live music venue, and locals protective of the pub’s history and charm.
Hundreds of supporters gathered outside the state parliament in April to oppose the proposed development, with another protest slated for August.
The official Save the Cranker campaign has also drafted its own policy brief, proposing state heritage protections consider a place’s intangible cultural importance, not just its physical significance.
Yet the development proposal was not formed in a vacuum, emerging in a city trying to balance inner-city vibrancy with the need for accommodation.
Plans to repurpose the site into student accommodation coincide with the merger of the University of South Australia and the University of Adelaide into one unit, which is expected to count 70,000 students from early 2026.
InDaily reports a three-month extension to public consultation means a final decision on the site will likely come in November.
For the interim, the venue is now counting on support from family-run brewers Coopers, which has offered the venue specially-labeled ‘Save the Cranker’ beer.
In a statement, Coopers described the Cranker as a “unique venue”, with the flagged redevelopment a “great loss for its patrons, musicians and the wider community”.
Coopers said the pub is channeling proceeds from each Save the Cranker tap beer — a “high-quality, crisp golden lager” — towards the campaign.
The family-run brewery said its support comes “at a time when our state has lost many live music and hospitality venues”.
In the past year, the closure of live music venues like Enigma Bar and Fat Controller has further constrained the CBD’s band scene.
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Senior Business Journalist
Focused on the small business sector, David’s work covers the political, regulatory, and economic issues facing Australian entrepreneurs. Prior to joining SmartCompany, he was a reporter for Business Insider Australia. You can follow him on LinkedIn.
