Merrivale saves the Alexandria Hotel from developers
For some time, developers were eyeing the Alexandria Hotel in Sydney's Redfern.
The Alexandria, a local favourite, had closed and the site was being targeted for development potential.
That would have been the end of the 150 year old venue with its huge beer garden. There are many stories about the Alexandria as the site of raucous 2-Up tournaments. It has also been the home pub for many Sydney Swans supporters, not to mention the host of the most popular Super Bowl party in the city each year.
The existing building was constructed in 1934. And around the traps, it’s known as The Alex.
Needless to say, the community opposed any idea of it being turned into apartments. People just wanted the Alexandria to stay. City of Sydney staff were even trying to get the pub heritage-listed.
And now Justin Hemmes' Merivale hospitality group has come in as the white knight.
It’s bought the Alexandria for $10 million and plans to update the pub.
According to JLL’s John Musca, Merivale is intent on “restoring it into its glory days”.
“The locals have really missed their hotel and famous beer garden and Merivale has such a unique ability in engaging with local communities in providing relevant atmospheres and great product and service offers," Musca told the Australian Financial Review.
It’s nothing new for Merivale. It has a track record of buying old pubs and doing them up. Two examples are the Newport Arms in Pittwater on Sydney's northern beaches and the Queen Victoria Hotel in Enmore, also in Sydney's inner west.
Hemmes plans to showcase the place, even introduce food trucks and art installations.
"I get the keys mid-September and I think [within] six to eight weeks, we should have something," he told Good Food. "It's not going to be a big hotel redevelopment just now, I just want to get it back open and get people enjoying the space."
by Leon Gettler, August 12th 2016
