The City of Newcastle has approved a Development Application (DA2024/01093) for the Stag and Hunter Hotel at 185 Maitland Road, Mayfield.
This approval permits the Hotel to increase its ground-floor capacity from 250 people to a total of:
• 400 patrons until midnight
• 300 persons between 12 midnight and 1am
• 120 persons between 1am and 2am (closing time)
The increased capacity must first operate as a 12-month trial before any longer-term arrangements are confirmed. The approval for increased ground floor capacity does not change the Hotel's approved Plan of Management including our operating hours and closure of the Dora Street entrance at 10:00pm.
About the 12-month trial
The trial will help to evaluate how increased patron numbers on the ground floor of the venue can be managed safely and responsibly while supporting a vibrant local community.
The trial will run from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026 to help to assess:
• The social and economic benefits, such as increased activity in the local area
• Any potential impacts on community amenity, including noise or patron behaviour
• The effectiveness of venue management measures
• Any community complaints or feedback from local residents, businesses and visitors.
What will be monitored?
To support the assessment of the trial, the Hotel will collect data from a range of sources, including:
• Compliance and breach records
• Noise monitoring logs
• NSW Police reports and response data
• Venue incident registers
• Social and economic outcomes, such as increased activity in the local area
• Complaints, comments or feedback received from residents, businesses and visitors.
Have your say
Community input is an important part of this process. We encourage local residents, businesses and visitors to share their views and experiences during the trial period. Your input will be confidential and can be anonymous if you prefer.
All feedback received will be logged and considered in the trial’s assessment.
What happens with your feedback?
During and after the trial period:
• Submissions will be reviewed regularly by the venue’s management team
• Key themes and issues will be summarised and compiled alongside other monitoring data
• Where possible, concerns raised will be used to adjust or strengthen management practices during the trial (for example, changes to security presence, noise controls, or closing procedures)
• At the end of the 12 months, your feedback will form part of the information Council considers when deciding whether the increased capacity should continue.
Have a question?
If you have any questions, please use the feedback form and a member of our team will respond to you directly.