Bernie's Bar approved for $30k council grant to patrol precinct
A Newcastle bar was approved for a $30,000 council grant to deploy roving street security over summer after staff assaults and antisocial behaviour.
Bernie's Bar co-founder Grace Frey said almost weekly incidents involving thrown eggs, water bottles and glass bottles had made the venue unsafe. In June, three teenage boys assaulted a staff member outside the bar, hospitalising him with a head wound.
In August, a glass bottle thrown from a car gave co-founder Patrick Fisher a black eye. The bar was approved for a $30,000 grant to fund a security team on Friday and Saturday nights from December 2026 to February 2027.
The team will focus on visible presence, de-escalation, handing out water, and walking patrons safely to transport rather than enforcement. The proposal calls it a test for a permanent precinct safety model.
- $30,000
- Grant amount
- December 2026 to February 2027
- Security period
- 32-year-old staff member with head wound
- June assault hospitalization
- Kore Security (female-led)
- Security partner
Why it mattersVenues need protection from violence to stay open safely. The model could shape how nightlife districts manage risk and keep staff safe without heavy policing.
AustraliaNewcastle's hospitality sector faces growing antisocial behaviour; this grant-funded approach shows councils trying new ways to protect venues and their staff.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 3 h ago
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