New Bar Squeaky Clean and ready to serve

Posted on 25 October, 2023

If you like bars which are pretty with a touch of gritty, then head on over to Verity Laneway, where Squeaky Clean is waiting.

Opening at the end of the month,  this new bar is the brainchild of Jonathan Murphy, who worked with Canadian pub Caribou in Kingston and community pub The Meating Room in Weston Creek after relocating from Melbourne’s thriving pub scene.

Jonathan loves being a publican.

“It’s all about building community. People want to be seen, heard, and valued. I honestly think it’s what I’m on this planet to do. When I was creating the concept for Squeaky Clean, the first part of the vision was that guests could walk in and drop their shoulders away from their ears, feel like they’re at home and that they actually matter to us.”

Squeaky Clean Bar not only focuses on fostering a sense of community but also offers a fun selection of snacks such as pork neck nachos, black pudding burgers and double choc icecream sandos. Jonathan has placed top three in a handful of cocktail competitions in Melbourne and Canberra so you know the cocktails will slap. He also wants to showcase local producers, breweries, wineries and spirit producers and has plans to forage for ingredients for seasonal cocktails to showcase what the region has to offer.

Squeaky Clean owner Johnathan Murphy

The venue, formerly a pole fitness studio, retains its hardwood timber floor and unique handprints on the ceiling, adding to its character.

The aesthetic is grungy yet fun. Weekly pool competitions and the retro arcade game Buck Hunter are just a glimpse of the entertainment Squeaky Clean Bar offers.

“We want to put that emphasis on being the new local watering hole, while offering so much more than just a bar,” said Jonathan.

The walls are adorned with vintage band posters, and local memorabilia creating a little bit of a nostalgic ambience. Deep burgundy curtains and the spinning disco ball, paired with the well-stocked floating back bar lit by fairy lights, sets the scene for late-night thrills.

Squeaky Clean Bar, with the financial support from the ACT Government under the Tourism Product Development Fund, will be opening its doors to the public at the end of the month. If you plan to make your way over, find the hidden entrance to via the Verity Laneway of the iconic Sydney building.