Port’s pubs with no buyers

Licensees at The Town Green Inn, Tacking Point Tavern and the Port Macquarie Hotel are still waiting on news about who will be their new owner.

Pub chain National Leisure and Gaming (NLG) owns the three pubs. The financially troubled group was placed in receivership late last year.

PPB Advisory was appointed receiver and manages, and all the group’s pubs were put up for sale.

Bids closed last month.

NLG general manager of marketing and commercial Alistair Flower said a bid had not yet been accepted but a new owner could be announced within six weeks.

Despite some in the group not doing so well, all three Hastings pubs had a healthy turnover and would continue to operate as usual during the sale process, he said.

“The three Port Macquarie hotels are very good businesses and, no matter who takes over, they’ve got three great licensees who will hopefully be in the business for a long time to come,” he said.

Both Tacking Point Tavern licensee Phill Cardwell and Port Macquarie Hotel and The Town Green Inn licensee Brad Jones said it was business as usual so far.

Mr Jones said he preferred not to comment about the change of ownership of his pubs. NLG operates a portfolio of 38 hotels in Queensland and NSW, including The Bridgeview Hotel, The Willoughby Hotel and the Campbelltown Club Hotel in Sydney.

They were offered for sale as a group or individually. The physical properties are owned separately and Tacking Point Tavern building owned by Redcape Property Fund.

The Port Macquarie Hotel’s latest promotions are heavily featured on NLG’s revamped website.

Offers to purchase the businesses closed on March 16.