Famously grungy late-night CBD boozer Jacksons on George has been knocked down – but will get up again, thanks to DTL Entertainment, a hospitality group led by entrepreneurs Paul Ford and Steve Bannigan, Icebergs’ restaurateur Maurice Terzini, and publican Michael Broome. The dive bar closed back in 2018 and was demolished to make way for Sydney Place, a new precinct combining what will soon be Sydney’s tallest office tower, retail and dining spaces, and a public plaza on the edge of Circular Quay.

The newly reimagined Jacksons on George has been designed by Studio Hollenstein (Green Square Library). Split over three levels, the venue looks set to be a more sophisticated version of its predecessor. The ground floor will offer a pub space, with the middle level accommodating a restaurant and wine bar, and the rooftop housing a cocktail bar. Like all venues by Terzini – the mastermind behind Icebergs and Cicciabella – Jacksons will bring together “contemporary, cutting-edge music, art, food and beverage, fashion and architecture," said Terzini in a statement.

“It’s been a tough few years for Sydney’s hospitality industry but we’re committed and more than ready to turn this around,” he said. “It’s time to become a global city again. At Jacksons, we’re creating an innovative, exciting destination where the food and drinks will be simple and elegant, the service will be traditional and the atmosphere will be unforgettable. The Jacksons experience will be one that is continually evolving and immersed in local culture.”

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Studio Hollenstein’s design will see the building wrapped in white ceramic, evoking classic Aussie pub tiles and the glistening water of nearby Sydney Harbour. It’s slated to open in early 2023.

The Sydney Place precinct, developed by Lendlease, will include a 55-storey office tower which, at 263 metres, is set to be Sydney’s tallest office building. At George Street level, shops, eateries and public art will be woven through laneways.

Jacksons on George is set to reopen in early 2023.