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Its liquor licence is still in limbo but the keenly awaited Keira Street venue Humber will finally open its doors on Sunday. There has been a groundswell of support for the inner-city locale in recent months, as it has battled with NSW Government authorities to get its alcohol licence approved. The ground floor cafe, decked out in art deco style to mirror the prominent corner block’s hey-day, will serve breakfast, lunch and Sutherland’s well-known White Horse coffee seven days a week. Owner Adam Murphy said the Humber Kitchen would serve seasonal and environmentally friendly food, half of which would be sourced from producers within a 100 kilometre radius of Wollongong. The two upper floors - the bar areas of the three-level venue - are still being built, their operations contingent on a decision to be made next month by the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA). Mr Murphy has been trying to secure a licence to sell alcohol in the bar and rooftop levels - which would jointly hold 200 people - since May last year. In October, he was told the government believed the city had too many hotel licences, with the state liquor office saying alcohol-related violence remained a problem. This was despite a dramatic drop in non-domestic assaults - and rise in the number of venues - in Wollongong over the past five years. Strong community support for the venue meant ILGA agreed to hold a public meeting before making a final decision on the bar. ‘‘We’ve been hit by a few little delays here and there, but we’re very happy that the cafe is open and that’s what we’re focusing on at the moment,’’ Mr Murphy said. In December, Wollongong MP Noreen Hay became involved in the licencing issue, asking for residents to voice their opinions as she had heard some people were concerned about the number of bars. Mr Murphy said he has been copied in on numerous letters lodged in support of the bar’s licence, and said Ms Hay had reported receiving at least eight in support of the bar for every one against. ‘‘I’m positive and hopeful that the community support will get us through in regards to the liquor licensing, everyone is so behind it,’’ he said. ‘‘I think it’s low-risk, only closing at midnight, so we’ll just keep chipping away.’’ If the licence goes ahead, Mr Murphy hopes to be ready to open his bar within two months. The public meeting will be held at Wollongong Art Gallery at 2pm on February 5.

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