DESIGN & BUILD
Big picture thinking The Crown in Brisbane’s inner north fits snugly into the local community as its operator Australian Venue Co powers through its ambitious plan to bring dozens of Queensland pubs back to the people.
HERITAGE PUB The Crown Hotel threw open the doors to the local Lutwyche community
more bespoke to the local community.” AVC operates 86 pubs in Queensland,
in Brisbane’s inner north last November after
more than in any other state, and the project,
a major $2.4 million makeover.
announced last year, involves rejuvenating two
The historic pub has been part of Brisbane’s
dozen or so of these. The strategy was hatched
pub scene since 1881, and its operator
following a $200m deal that saw AVC take over
Australian Venue Co. (AVC) wanted to
the running of the Spirits Hotel business from
celebrate the pub’s heritage and character
Coles three years ago.
while revitalising the design and dining options.
In Queensland, licensing laws dictate that
The project saw the 140-year-old hotel
bottle shop owners must also own a pub
completely transformed to include a stylish
nearby. Under the deal, Coles and AVC
new bistro, sports bar and beer garden. AVC
formed a joint venture which would see AVC
chief operating officer Craig Ellison says the
run the pubs business, leaving Coles free to
refurbished venue offers the drinking and
focus on its bottle shops.
dining experience of a city pub, but with the
“I’m a Queensland boy so I jumped at the
casual charm of a neighbourhood hangout.
opportunity,” Ellison says. “I knew these pubs
The new food menu by executive chef Dylan Kemp and head chef Jamie Blake focuses on quality pub classics and fresh, produce-
back in the ‘80s – they were big entertainment venues and were well looked after.” Fast forward a few decades, he says, and
driven dishes, with vegetarian, vegan and
they had become the poor cousins of the
gluten-free options.
bottle shops. “They were in poor condition. It
The latest renovation is just one example
was a huge opportunity to renovate them and
in a broader $53m project by AVC to revamp
give them back to Queensland residents, and
numerous Queensland venues and revitalise
to bring live music back to the suburbs.”
the state’s pub scene. The focus of the renovations is on outdoor
An eclectic twist
spaces, food and beverage, with each
The Crown, Ellison says, is just one example of
tailored to their local community. AVC spent
the strategy. The renovation, which kicked off
around $2m on each, increasing their size,
in the middle of last year, took five months and
their outdoor areas, and creating lighter and
was completed in early November.
brighter dining and gaming areas, Ellison says. “It’s not rocket science – the secret sauce is land intensification, food, and making them
26 | Australian Hotelier
DC Group Pty Ltd + Newline Design were the team behind the design and the brief included boosting the pub’s footprint.
The beer garden has a paved courtyard, feature timber pergola elements and a custom mural.
