The people save Picabar with a little help from Meerkats

The owners and staff at Picabar can finally breathe easy this week. After months of living in limbo, the iconic Northbridge bar has been granted a new 10-year lease.

When Meerkats heard of plans to open EOIs for the lease, they couldn’t stand by and watch the successful indie venue be lost.

Says creative Luke Williams: “Picabar is a safe place where everyone is welcome, from city workers, to older ladies drinking tea, and especially to creative weirdos like me.”

The team created The Great Coaster Protest, turning Picabar’s coasters into a visual petition. Thousands of punters, suppliers, and even direct competitors added their signatures, plastering the walls and social media with messages to the government. Some local competitors even swapped their coasters for Picabar’s for the duration of the campaign.

Says Brian Buckley, Picabar owner: “The protest gave us a clever, positive way for people to show their support and send a strong message. It truly demonstrated the power of a simple idea to make a huge change. Thanks Kats!”