PROPERTY FOCUS
The lure of the south
The pub property market has been heating up in South Australia, with national, interstate, and local groups getting in on the action.
Endeavour Group recently acquired the Empire Hotel in Kilburn
THE SOUTH Australian pub market is seeing an uptick in activity, with national and interstate groups increasing their footprints in the state. Not to be left out, South Australia-based operators are also expanding their local presence. Duxton Pubs, the hotel investment fund created by prominent South Australian publicans Ed Peter, Brett Matthews and Martin Palmer in 2020, has undergone incredible growth in the past two years. The group’s rapidly growing SA portfolio includes the Saracens Head in the Adelaide CBD and The Lion Hotel in North Adelaide, and most recently Port Broughton Hotel – bringing its portfolio to
is predicting massive growth in South
12 venues.
Australia over the next five years.
Interstate hotel groups making a strong
The national groups are also making
Australian portfolio to 18 venues. “We see a lot of potential in the South Australian market,” AVC CEO Paul
entrance into South Australia include
moves down south. Late last year,
Waterson said at the time. “We’ve been
Victorian-based Black Rhino Group which
Australian Venue Co. (AVC) announced
operating in SA with a local team on
last year added four South Australian
plans to purchase the Saturno Group’s
the ground for over two years and will
hotels to its portfolio, with another seven
eight pubs and four bottle shops in and
continue to invest in the State.”
expected this year. Director David Tomsic
around Adelaide, bringing AVC’s South
10 | Australian Hotelier
Endeavour Group, meanwhile, made
