A “crisp and golden” new brew is on tap at the Crown & Anchor, as Adelaide's famous independent brewer gets behind a campaign to save the historic pub from demolition.
Coopers brews ‘Save The Cranker’ beer to help threatened pub
A pint of Coopers and a seat outside of the Crown & Anchor are two of life’s greatest pleasures.
Now, the historic East End venue – threatened with demolition for a student housing tower – and the famous, family-owned brewery have joined forces to support a campaign attempting to protect the pub and longstanding live music venue.
Introducing “Save the Cranker Draught”, brewed in collaboration with Coopers and exclusively on tap at the Crown & Anchor.
“The Cranker holds a significant place in South Australia’s rich hospitality and live music history,” Coopers says.
“Not only is the Cranker a well-run local pub, but it’s an iconic gathering place at a time when our state has lost many live music and hospitality venues.
“Coopers Brewery has long supported live music and local pubs. Authentic local venues like the Cranker are the lifeblood of the hospitality and live music industries both here and right across Australia.”
Coopers says losing the Cranker to a development which planned to leave only a facade standing would be a “great loss”.
“We believe the Cranker is a unique venue and would be a great loss for its patrons, musicians and the wider community,” Coopers says.
“We have provided a great-tasting beer which Tom [Skipper, the Cranker’s publican] and the Cranker team are serving in support of the Save the Cranker campaign.
“The idea came up over a chat and a pint. We understand the pub is putting some of the proceeds from each beer it sells towards its campaign.”
A Save the Cranker spokesperson welcomes Coopers’ support.
“Having the campaign represented on the taps puts the issues front-and-centre. Having a Coopers Save the Cranker beer is a nice history callback to when hotels would have their own labelling on certain Coopers products,” the spokesperson says.
“It’s quite an honour and fantastic for Coopers to bring this back.”
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Venues like the Crown & Anchor used to slap their own labels on recycled bottles during a bottle shortage in the 1940s. Photo: Supplied.
It follows news that a hearing to rule on a developer’s bid to demolish the Crown & Anchor hotel will be delayed after the government ordered a three-month extension for public submissions on state heritage listing.
The decision means a State Commission Assessment Panel hearing scheduled for September to rule on the application to gut the historic East End pub for a 19-storey student housing tower is likely to be put on hold until after public submissions close on November 3.