The Barrie, a new late night bar, is set to open on the old Freda’s site
Open until 4am, The Barrie is a new late night live music bar set to open soon in Chippendale — here's what to expect.
Sydney is set to get a new late night live music bar in Chippendale, with the opening of The Barrie on June 4th.
Chris Garner is the first time bar owner behind The Barrie, and he has named the place for his grandfather.
“Back when he was a boy, he started his own business and now I’m starting mine,” Garner says. “[They are] wildly different industries but same ‘fuck I hope this goes alright’ mentality.”
Licensed for 120 people and trading until 4am, The Barrie will occupy the site on Regent Street in Chippendale where Freda’s once stood (they’ve since retooled and reopened as Cafe Freda’s in Taylor Square).
Garner is billing The Barrie as a sort of everyperson’s bar, with live music every night.
“We’re going to play around a bit but we think we’ll be sticking to that swing/blues/early rock style of vibe,” Garner says.
On Fridays and Saturdays, you can expect a DJ playing until 3:30am.
When it comes to the drinks offering, The Barrie will have 100 percent Australian beer and wines, and a no fuss cocktail offering.
Garner comes to the project with Restaurant Hubert, Rockpool Dining Group and Employees Only on his resume, and will be joined by bar manager Chris Turvey (ex-Employees Only) and operations manager Liam Stanwell (ex-Annata and Rockpool Bar & Grill).
The late nights shouldn’t prove too much of a problem for Garner, given he lives across the road.
“I always loved Fredas,” he says. “I loved the energy and the atmosphere they created. When I saw that site had come up on market, despite all the fear and anxiety, I applied, we went back and forth. It fell through. I had given up until they called me back and said do you want to have a second look? The rest was history.”
And aside from a emphasis on good times, there’s no particular theme to the place, other than to enjoy yourself.
“You do whatever you want to do. That’s what my grandpa said when I told him I was calling the bar after his name,” Garner says.
“It is a space for everyone. A place where you can be you. We don’t have social norms. We love to have a joke and take the piss out of life,” he says.
The Barrie is set to open on June 4th at 107-109 Regent Street, Chippendale. You can follow them on Instagram at @thebarrie_ and visit their website at thebarrie.com.au.
