A HOLE-in-the-wall cafe, a ladies lounge, and an all-new menu are just some of the ways in which the new owners and management team at The 1880 Hotel are creating a new direction for the pub.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Since purchasing the business in April, 2023, Greg Brimble, who bought the venue with wife Rebecca, has been working closely with management staff to create some changes to the iconic venue.
And so far, it's been a very busy few months.
Hotel Manager Robby Brownlee said there were an abundance of alterations planned for both the downstairs and the upstairs spaces of the hotel.
"It's for a redirection of the hotel basically. We're aiming to be a female friendly, safe venue, where families are welcome," he said.
One of the biggest ways in which this will be achieved, is by changing the TAB.
It will be moved to another area within the hotel, and the current TAB will be transformed into a ladies lounging area.
"This room is going to become the rosé room," Mr Brownlee said.
"The TVs will be gone, this room will be full of art instead, there will be lower lounging in this area, and this area will be specifically directed towards females.
"Come in with your girlfriends, sit down, have a cocktail, have a wine in a safe environment, a comfortable environment."
There have also been several changes made to the whiskey bar.
It has been converted into a transformative space, which will run as a coffee stop from 6am until 11am each morning, before becoming a cocktail bar for the evening hours.
ALSO MAKING NEWS:
This will be opening to the public on Monday, September 11, 2023.
Mr Brownlee said the hotel will also be shifting towards a greater focus on entertainment, with live music booked for the Beer Garden every Friday evening, and a DJ booked on Saturday nights.
There will also be a mix of live music and electronic entertainment on Sunday nights.
These are just a few of the changes planned for the Beer Garden.
"We've got a new bar being built out there as well, and there'll be a couple of little surprise rooms put out the back there, but that's for later," Mr Brownlee said.
To tie in with the renovations, the hotel will be painted in a bright colour scheme, to signify different areas and sections of the pub.
"Taste is tangerine obviously, rosé will be pink, out the back the Beer Garden will be green, the bistro is blue ... so all the colours will tie together," Mr Brownlee said.
The current cuisine is also set to be changed into a more concentrated menu with a range of specials.
There will also be a greater focus on sourcing local products, to create a paddock to plate dining style.
As for the upstairs areas, there are plans in the works to convert accommodation spaces into function areas, that can be sectioned to be as small or as large as desired, to suit any occasion.
The hotel will also be collaborating with local florist, Foster and Co Botanicals, and selling fresh flower bouquets, as well as roses on Friday and Saturday nights.
Reading this on mobile web? Download our news app. It's faster, easier to read and we'll send you alerts for breaking news as it happens. Download in the Apple Store or Google Play.
