The Knickerbocker Hotel shifting to a more family-oriented vibe

The pub on the corner of William and Russell streets was purchased by well-known Bathurst publican Craig Lusby at the end of 2021, before he sadly died earlier this year.

Since then, the Knickerbocker team has been working hard to fulfill Mr Lusby's vision for the pub, with his granddaughter and bar manager Amanda Dolan proud of what they've achieved so far.

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"We're honouring him, doing things that he really wanted to do here and fulfilling his wishes of the hotel," Ms Dolan said.

"He always wanted to buy the Knickerbocker and once he did, he wanted to do it up and make it a family pub, that was his goal.

"Scott [Maguire], our licensee, is doing a great job. He's been doing an amazing job keeping the team together."

The Knickerbocker Hotel has undergone renovations to update the bar, bistro, outdoor area and hotel room facilities.

The kitchen has welcomed a new team with head chef Matt Hayden introducing a whole new menu.

There will also be some takeaway Winter Festival specials available in the coming weeks so people attending the community event can pop in, grab something to eat and continue enjoying the festivities.

Ms Dolan said she has been working hard to improve the pub's social media footprint, and since advertising more on Facebook she has noticed a huge difference.

"It's been unreal, it's growing and we're getting busier," she said.

"Every Friday we do our raffles, we start selling at 6pm and they're drawn at 7pm and we have our courtesy bus that runs on Fridays and Saturdays.

"We just want to get it out there that our business is a lot different to what it used to be, we're not just a pub anymore."

Currently, anyone who stays in a room gets a free breakfast the following morning, but plans are in the works to create a breakfast menu for everyone to enjoy.

Ms Dolan said they are also trying to get a poker day up and running, as that was something Mr Lusby wanted to do when he purchased the pub.

"We're just trying to aim to get people in, get busier, keep people happy," she said.

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