The Archer Hotel in North Adelaide to reopen within weeks

Historic North Adelaide pub The Archer Hotel will reopen within weeks ahead of a revamp led by its new operator.

The Archer’s head chef Tony Kartono inside the hotel, which will reopen within weeks. Picture: AAP / Brenton Edwards

• Operator of The Archer Hotel falls into administration
• The Archer closes its doors after failing to attract a buyer
• Directors of The Archer Hotel speak out about the pub’s demise

Historic North Adelaide pub The Archer Hotel will reopen within weeks ahead of a revamp led by new operator ALH Group.

ALH will return to the venue three years after it sold its leasehold interest to the Bloody Mary Group’s Huntsman Hotel Pty Ltd.

That entity fell into administration in October, leaving the venue dormant since a “Drink Us Dry” closing party on November 17.

Since then ALH has remained liable for rental payments at the venue due to a guarantee offered as part of its sale to Huntsman in 2016.

ALH state manager Andrew Gunn said a soft opening was planned in the coming weeks as the hotel group considered plans to redevelop the venue.

The Archer’s head chef Tony Kartono. Picture: AAP / Brenton Edwards

“We’re in there now setting it all up — she’s a little bit stagnant so we’re tidying up, getting it ready for a soft opening in a month roughly,” he said.

“It’s certainly not going to be a crafty hotel, it will definitely be more mainstream.

“With the football and cricket I see an opportunity to tap into that — it won’t be a sports bar but we’ll have the games on TV.

“Driving past on the weekend and seeing all the footy fans walking past after the Crows game, it broke my heart.”

Mr Gunn said a chef had been recruited to oversee a menu offering “good, mainstream and affordable beer and food”, with the pub’s upstairs area dedicated exclusively to functions.

He said a number of redevelopment options were being considered, with plans to commence works by the middle of the year.

“We’ve had an architect come in to give us some concept stuff,” he said.

“Whether it will be a significant spend, obviously where O’Connell St and North Adelaide is at the moment we have to be careful how much we invest but we will be doing something.

“The outdoor areas up the front and down the back will be upgraded.”

The upstairs area of The Archer will be dedicated to functions. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

In 2016 Bloody Mary Group revealed plans to revert The Archer’s name back to The Huntsman Hotel as part of a $2 million-plus transformation of the heritage-listed building.

The plans, revealed after its acquisition of the venue, included the construction of a three-level, terraced beer garden at the rear of the building.

But as trading conditions deteriorated, those plans were shelved.

In November last year, Bloody Mary Group director Brett Viney blamed high rent and power costs, and ongoing development delays at the former Le Cornu site, for the demise of the venue.

Mr Gunn was hopeful that development of the former Le Cornu site, which sits adjacent to The Archer, would “reinvigorate” the strip, but said limited car parking remained an issue for local businesses.

“I’ve had a long history in the strip with The Archer and the Royal Oak and parking’s always been an issue,” he said.

“All the businesses in the area are struggling because of a lack of parking and is council being proactive? That (vacant former Le Cornu site) would have been a great opportunity to put 300 car parks in there and get more people into the area.”

ALH, which is majority-owned by Woolworths, operates a portfolio of more than 300 licensed venues across Australia including around 30 venues in South Australia.

This week it took over the Watermark Hotel at Glenelg after paying approximately $25 million for the property and business.

Huntsman Hotel Pty Ltd was wound up in November, owing the ATO, employees and unsecured creditors more than $600,000.