Pot Belly Bar marks 50 years as Canberra's sole survivor from wild Sesame Street
Pot Belly Bar is Belconnen's sole survivor from Sesame Street nightlife block, celebrating 50 years brewing its own beer and spirits.
The Pot Belly Bar opens its doors on Friday for its 50th birthday, the last pub standing on Weedon Close in Belconnen. When it opened in 1976, the street was nicknamed Sesame Street for its seedy reputation and under-age drinking culture.
Most venues have since closed, but the Pot Belly endured. Owners Amreesh and Govinder Toor, who took over in 2015, credit innovation and loyal regulars.
In the 2010s the bar shifted to craft beer; after COVID, they added brewing and a nanodistillery. This move was crucial.
As Mr Toor says, without producing their own beer and spirits, they would have been "impossible to stay alive". The team is mostly long-time customers turned staff, including music director Lindsey Bush, who played his second-ever show there in 2001.
- 50
- Years operating
- 2015
- Ownership since
- Sesame Street
- Street nickname
- Lindsey Bush
- Music director
Why it mattersThe bar's survival shows how small venues adapt to survive, and its story captures Canberra's hospitality struggles as many pubs and clubs have closed.
AustraliaThe Pot Belly's 50-year run in Canberra reflects broader challenges facing Australian hospitality: only the most nimble and community-rooted venues survive.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 1 h ago
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