Lavington's Northside Hotel is set to get a face lift over the next few months, aiming to promote a family-friendly venue.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The pub's general manager, Nathaniel McPhee, said a new children's play area and upgraded bistro would be key points of the renovation with a focus on attracting new patrons.
Mr McPhee said with the rapid growth of the area and the success of the kids' area at other pubs, he expected the renovations would attract a bigger crowd.
"We're pretty much just mimicking exactly what they did at Brady's which, in the past couple of years, has been an absolutely massive hit there," Mr McPhee said.
"Maybe this place hasn't been as kid friendly as it could and probably should be and we're bringing that to the Northside now.
"We have a staff of 20 at the moment but with the expected influx of guests once the renovations are done, we'll probably double our staff numbers."
Mr McPhee said he hoped the renovations would deliver "a modern, warm inviting pub with an exciting new menu, beverages and spaces".
"We believe that it will appeal to new patrons - we'll really offer something for everyone including families, workers, community groups, friends and visitors of all ages," he said.
"We are well and truly open for business during the renovations and we'll keep our patrons updated when they come to the hotel and via our website on any changes, with interruptions being kept to a minimum."
Proposed works will include upgrades to the outdoor spaces and increased bistro capacity but the Harvest Hotels group, which acquired the pub in 2021, said the building's heritage value would be retained.
"The focus will be on the pub - we've already upgraded the accommodation in the past 13 months," Mr McPhee said.
Border builder Steve Blackburne will oversee the renovation.
Harvest Hotels co-Founder Chris Cornforth said plans for the pub had been cooking for three years and started the moment the group looked at purchasing the pub.
"Our philosophy is simple, we invest in growing regional areas like Lavington to create iconic pubs which are a meeting point for the community," Mr Cornforth said.
"We hope both our existing and new patrons enjoy what we have in store with the renovation."
Since its establishment in 1938, the pub has been known as the Continental, MacWhites and the Garrison.
"We're looking forward to taking the next step in this evolution of the Northside," Mr McPhee said.
The refurbishment is expected to be completed in May.