Why a Sydney council banished ‘troll bar’ from under the Harbour Bridge

The Norwegian folklore of trolls inspired plans for a new live music bar under the archways of the Sydney Harbour Bridge – but the prospect of monsters lurking under the heritage structure has proven a bridge too far for historians, community groups and a local council.

A year-long proposal to turn a vacant shopfront under the northern end of the coathanger has been delivered a not-so fairytale ending after a planning application for the venue was officially rejected by North Sydney Council.

The saga began when owner and publican Peter Lanigan lodged development plans with the council to turn the former Milsons Point newsagency that opens up in Kirribilli’s main shopping strip into a “sophisticated small bar” named The Troll, inspired by the 19th-century Scandinavian fairytale.

Trolls, often depicted as monstrous beings living under bridges, have for more than 150 years acted as a cautionary tale for children to be careful around dangerous places.

Plans for the themed venue included serving cocktails, wines and spirits in a “low-tempo” space that Lanigan said was designed to “foster conversation” and relaxation.

A social media page had been set up ahead of an opening date, complete with mock-up animated trolls pictured shaking martinis and pouring pints of stout.

But the plans also generated criticism from some heritage and community groups who feared the venue’s branding risked undermining the historic status of the Harbour Bridge, recognised not only as a state heritage-listed structure but known globally as a symbol of Australia.

North Sydney Council, in its decision to refuse the plans, labelled the proposal out of character with the “amenity of the North Sydney community”, “inappropriate to its context” and “not in the public interest”.

Robert Stitt, a member of the Milsons Point community group, said the venue’s branding was incongruous with the landscape.

“The naming is incredibly inappropriate and entirely out of keeping with what really is a national icon for Australia,” he said.

But according to Lanigan, the tongue-in-cheek themed name had been designed to bring a sense of humour to Kirribilli and Milsons Point.

“The name really resonated, and I thought it was a bit of fun,” he said.

“The main idea was to do something different, as opposed to a big RSL club – it was a bit quirky.”

Lanigan said he had hoped the plans would warrant approval as the NSW government had recently passed legislation to boost the night-time economy.

“In other parts of Sydney, like Marrickville and Brookvale, the nightlife is gaining traction, but then you look at Milsons Point and Kirribilli and it’s completely dead at night – we wanted to change that,” he said.

Other entertainment venues face hurdles with local councils, including Paddington bar Charlie Parker’s, which last month had its plans to extend operating hours from midnight to 2am rejected by Woollahra Council following public opposition.

A North Sydney Council spokeswoman said the council supported venues that contributed to the night-time economy but also had a “responsibility to ensure that development proposals are consistent with planning requirements, heritage obligations and the public interest”.

“The site is part of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and is heritage-listed at both the state and local level, [and] the proposal did not provide enough detail for council to determine how it would manage impacts on the building’s significance or benefit the surrounding area,” she said.

Scott Robinson, founder of the architectural organisation Docomomo Australia, which advocates for the conservation of modern architecture, supported the council’s decision.

“Heritage developments need to work with existing character, not try to impose something different,” he said.

Milsons Point Community Group spokesperson Ian Curdie also backed the refusal.

“You really have to ask what relevance do trolls have to Milsons Point and Kirribilli?” he said.

“It’s not something I think the community would countenance – you might get the odd person going to get their troll experience, but apart from that, I don’t think it’s something that would be widely embraced.”

Lanigan said he was considering lodging a review with the council.

“I find it disappointing the council didn’t support the plans because, at the moment, it’s just a vacant shopfront and an underutilised asset for what could be a wonderful part of Sydney.”

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