Peak Honour for Guy and Tony Matthews

South Australian hotelier Guy Matthews, and his late brother Tony, from the Matthews Hotel Group have been recognised with Life Membership, which is the AHA|SA’s highest honour.

Guy Matthews

Tony Matthews

The Matthews family has had a multi-generational impact on the State’s hotel Industry.

Seymour and Doris Matthews established the beginnings of the family enterprise during World War Two when they moved to Whyalla to take over the lease of the Bayview Hotel, owned at the time by the South Australian Brewing Company.

Seymour and Doris produced two sons, Tony and Guy who subsequently added Brett, Lisa, Shaun, Scott, Ward and William to the expanding family register. All three adult generations are involved in the family enterprise with some expanding out in their own right.

Tony and Guy’s official involvement in the hotel industry commenced in the mid-1950s. It was at this stage Tony joined the business after serving his time in the Royal Navy National Service. Guy followed in 1956.

Seymour was taking on some big ventures at this time, including the iconic Largs Pier Hotel where with the SA brewery, they built a Beer Garden Lounge seating 250 undercover and 200 outdoor, and by accident during the course of renovations happened to invent the first drive through liquor store, reputed to be the world’s first. In their time they saw the Largs Pier become known as the Rock Capital of Australia being the original home of Jimmy Barnes, Cold Chisel and AC/DC.

Some of their innovations included their battle to introduce counter meals into front bars in the early 1960s. Tony was called to task over this by the AHA and was fined 10 pounds for his trouble. Not being swayed by this, Tony then instructed staff to set up the meal table just inside the dining room door for bar customers to collect their own meals to take back to the bar. As such they sidestepped the technicality of ‘serving’ the meal in the bar! Seymour, Tony and Guy implemented the first smorgasbord in South Australia at the near city Buckingham Arms Hotel.

Tony was a significant contributor to the wellbeing of the industry through his long service to the Board of Sip and Save, SA’s industry liquor marketing group and Guy has served for many years on the AHA|SA State Council representing the South East.

Seymour passed away in 1991 and Doris in March 2009 at the age of 97. Doris was inducted into the AHA|SA Women in Hotels Hall of Fame. Tony passed away in 2019. If you would like to read a more detailed account about Guy’s and Tony’s history in the hotel industry, these previous Hotel SA stories are available:

https://www.ahasa.com.au/__files/f/6093/hotel

https://www.ahasa.com.au/__files/f/44490/HSA_ June-July_2019.pdf