Club Rose Bay was once relied on by veterans and older locals for a drink, a catch-up and Anzac commemorations, but it has become the centre of a community fight, with long-time members saying the revamped venue no longer feels built for the people it was meant to serve.
The dispute has flared in the lead-up to Anzac Day, when Rose Bay’s RSL sub-Branch is preparing its annual service and community gathering. On its own public schedule, the sub-Branch lists an ANZAC Sunday Service for April 19, 2026, while Merivale is promoting Anzac Day trading and two-up at Club Rose Bay on April 25.
The overlap has sharpened a local question: can the new-look venue still meet the expectations many veterans and older members have of an RSL at the most important time of the year?
Rose Bay’s Anzac Focus Meets a New Club Identity
Club Rose Bay was brought back from administration after members voted 147 to one in January 2025 to proceed with a Merivale management deal. Reports at the time described the club as being under major financial strain, with the site having closed in 2024 before the rescue package was backed by members. The vote gave Merivale, led by Justin Hemmes, control of food and beverage operations, while the club itself continued as a registered club.
Since then, the venue has been repositioned as Club Rose Bay and reopened after a year-long refurbishment in December 2025. Merivale and design coverage around the reopening described a broad remake of the site, presenting it as a renewed local destination with hospitality, outdoor trading and updated social spaces. Lifestyle coverage also cast the project as the venue’s biggest refresh in decades.
This fresh start has not landed the same way with everyone. The central complaint from critics is not simply that the club looks different, but that its role in community life has shifted. Veterans and older members argued the atmosphere now feels more suited to younger patrons arriving for food, drinks and entertainment than to ex-service people wanting the familiar club culture associated with an RSL, especially ahead of Anzac Day.
A Club Saved for Some, But Harder to Use for Others
The strongest concern is practical as much as symbolic. The loss of the car park and the move toward a busier outdoor venue had made the site harder for older patrons to use. Old-time patrons pointed to parking pressure, access issues and long waits for service as signs the club’s daily rhythm had changed.
For older veterans, it’s more than just comfort. Rose Bay RSL describes its Anzac service as one of the most significant events organized by the sub-Branch each year. This means that concerns about queues, noise, access, and crowd mix are not just practical issues. These concerns reflect a belief that a place linked to service and memory is changing too quickly for them to keep up with.
Supporters of the revamp make a different case. Their argument begins with the fact that the club was in serious trouble before the Merivale deal. Seen through that lens, the new Club Rose Bay is not a takeover of a healthy institution but an attempt to stop one from failing.
The debate around Club Rose Bay is no longer just about outdoor trading, crowd noise or planning rules. At the centre of that divide is a simple question: who is the club really for?
Published 16-April-2026
