Epochal Hotels to acquire Bermagui Beach Hotel
The Bermagui Beach Hotel will change hands at the end of June, marking the end of an eight-year tenure by local owners Yannis Gantner and Claire Wheaton, and ushering in a new era under Sydney-based operator Epochal Hotels.
The family-run venue, which has played a significant community role and undergone extensive upgrades under the current owners, will join Epochal’s portfolio of seven coastal pubs.
Epochal Hotels Group CEO Glenn Piper confirmed the existing team would retain their roles, supported by head office resources in procurement, design and operations. “Our focus will be solely on creating the best local pub we can,” he said. “We want the pub to be truly representative of the Bermagui area and that is what will draw people from further afield, serving the locals as best we can.”
Some upgrades are planned, including new furniture and improved waterfront seating, alongside potential reinstatement of a shuttle bus service.
Since acquiring the venue in August 2017, Gantner and Wheaton have made the pub more family-friendly, renovated the accommodation, relocated gaming machines, and acquired and refurbished the adjoining motel. In 2022, the venue was awarded Best Deluxe Pub Accommodation by the Australian Hotel Association.
“We are incredibly honoured to be a part of the pub’s history and its renewal into a venue that we hope the town is proud of and feels connected to,” Gantner said. “It’s now time to focus on our young kids and other ventures.”
Piper highlighted Bermagui’s charm and community spirit as reasons for the acquisition. “We realise how important it is to engage with the community,” he said, pledging ongoing support for events such as Sculpture Bermagui and local sports initiatives.
Jonathan Jackson, 4th June 2025
