‘Beyond our control’: Sydney’s The Old Manly Boatshed to close in September

Beloved Sydney music venue and pub The Old Manly Boatshed is closing down. The venue will close its doors in mid-September, owner Goff Burgess revealed late on Thursday night, ending a 38-year run for the longstanding institution. “Due to circumstances beyond our control, it is with deep sadness and regret that after 38 years of continuous live entertainment, music, dancing, comedy, restaurant and bar, our beloved venue is being forced to close its doors,” Mr Burgess said. The venue sits between the Manly Wharf ferry stop and Manly Beach on The Corso strip. “From its beginnings as a restaurant, bar and live music venue on Darley Road, to the digging of the tunnel to create what we know today, the Old Manly Boatshed has grown into Australia’s longest-running live music and comedy venue,” Mr Burgess said. “The Boaty has echoed with the sounds of laughter and live comedy, the pulse of live music, the voices of would-be entertainers and live band karaoke, plus the stories of thousands who have found their way through these porthole doors and navigated their way down the iconic stairway into the beating heart of entertainment in Manly. “To say this is a shock is a total understatement. While it’s hard to imagine Manly without The Boaty, what remains is the legacy we’ve built together.” Hundreds of punters have taken to social media to express their shock and sadness at the news. “The Boatshed is such a Manly institution, it’s so sad to see it go,” one wrote. “One of the only remaining venues that had a soul and has not been gentrified. That’s why we all loved it. Such a leveller and patrons from all ages.” Another said while it was a “very sad day”, there was a lot to be “acknowledged and celebrated”. “Throughout the 38 years, the Boatshed has been a constant supporter of breaking bands and upcoming musicians,” they said. “Many of Australia’s finest musicians have graced the Boatshed stage and for many starting out, Goff and the Boatshed’s support was integral to them being able to make a career of it all. “Goff and The Old Manly Boatshed over many, many years has made an immeasurable contribution to the Australian music industry and deserves to be acknowledged and celebrated for it. On ya Goffie.” The Boatshed’s closure follows a string of live venue closures across Sydney and Australia, as the pub and music industry struggles to recover from Covid and cost-of-living shocks. Research from comparison website Finder revealed a dramatic spending slump on artistic experiences in 2024. Some 24 per cent of Australians have avoided live theatre, the data shows, while 36 per cent have passed up a concert, 27 per cent have skipped a music festival and 22 per cent have missed a comedy show.