A BYO listening bar has popped up in Fremantle

Well in an unfortunate case of irony, no sooner had I finished asking for just a wee bit of calm on the roads yesterday morning did I find myself getting run off the road by someone who decided to change lanes without looking, and then just keep changing! Escaped with nothing more than a rather elevated heart rate (and a somewhat apologetic driver in the other car), but yeah c’mon guys what’s the big rush?!

Anyways onwards, upwards and into a weekend filled with some sunshine, and an epic new listening bar down in Freo that’s popped up for a limited time only — as if Piazza Fremantle wasn’t already absolutely buzzing at the moment. Further down you’ll find us city slickers are getting a more permanent new bar next month for anyone with a soft spot for ye olde Britannia, along with a heap of things to do this weekend that hopefully don’t involve any traffic incidents.

^{Troy Mutton, Editor-In-Chief, Perth is OK!}

Tucked away in one of the Piazza Fremantle’s corners – nestled under the stairs, practically subterranean – a new audiophile’s haven is about to open its doors.

BYO listening bar Kissa will arrive in conjunction with festival 10 Nights in Port, launching with a special opening weekend over August 21-22 – and the pop up will remain at the Piazza until at least the end of the year.

Unsurprisingly, Kissa takes its inspiration from Japanese listening bars – and as owners Joseph London and Dimitri Kapetas tell us, recent trips to Japan were the “extra kick” to finally create their own version at home.

The roots of the project stretch further much back, though: “The two of us have been collecting and talking about and obsessed with music since we met in high school,” says Joseph…

While it was a popular bar in the CBD’s small bar glory days of the early 2010’s, it’s fair to say the old Flour Factory space on Queen’s Street has struggled in recent years.

It’s something Norkturnl – the hospitality group behind Stories, The Beaufort, The Old Synagogue and The Station – is looking to turn around with The Queen’s Arm, taking over the heritage-listed site next month.

The 500-person venue promises a “warm, welcoming local inspired by the great pubs of Britain” across two bars with over 30 taps, multiple dining areas, live sport, interactive darts, quiz nights and Sunday carveries.

“We didn’t want to just build a themed venue,” Nokturnl co-founder DrewFlanagan said. “We wanted to create somewhere that genuinely feels like you’ve walked into a proper British local.”