A Cooks Hill residents group says it will be keeping a close eye on the Delany Hotel's 12 month trial of later trading after it was approved by Newcastle council on Tuesday.
The pub applied to open until 2am Wednesday to Saturday but the council opted to allow a closure time of 1am on Friday and Saturday, an hour longer than it currently trades.
Cooks Hill Community Group spokesperson Glenn Burgess said while residents would have preferred the "long-standing closure time of midnight", he conceded that 1am for two nights of the week was "a lot better than the original".
The pub's initial application was to trade until 2am Monday to Saturday and change its closure time from 10pm to midnight on Sunday, which council staff had recommended for approval.
"We are appreciative the council listened to the residents and did not accept the officers' recommendation," Mr Burgess said.
The extended trading will operate on a trial basis, with the pub required to keep data on complaints, patron numbers and assaults throughout.
Mr Burgess had previously raised concerns the data was coming from the pub itself, however council staff said at Tuesday's meeting complaints would be recorded with police and the NSW Office of Liquor and Gaming.
"We hope the council will pull in whatever data they can get," Mr Burgess said.
"Residents will definitely be keeping a close eye on the trial."
The trial may be a matter for a new owner after the pub was put up for sale by Marvan Hotels this week.
Hospitality brokerage HTL Property is marketing the Darby Street pub for sale, saying it expects a "range of diverse and deliberate interest in the Del".
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