Matthews Hospitality acquires Walkerville’s Sussex Hotel

One of the state’s largest family-run pub groups has taken over Walkerville’s historic Sussex Hotel as more Adelaide pubs change hands.

Family-owned pub group Matthews Hospitality has acquired Walkerville’s historic Sussex Hotel from Preston Hotels.

It’s the third pub business sold by Preston Hotels this year following last month’s sale of the Earl of Leicester in Parkside.

Preston Hotels, led by Piers Schmidt, is also currently looking to sell its freehold interest in the Union Hotel in the CBD following its sale of the business in February.

Matthews Hospitality has taken over the freehold interest in the Sussex, and will run the hotel alongside its nine other pubs including suburban venues the Maylands and Feathers hotels, and the recently acquired Bentleys Hotel in Clare.

Matthews Hospitality chief executive Andrew Kemp, hospitality general manager Lee Cook and director Ward Matthews at the Sussex Hotel. Picture: John Kruger

The art deco Sussex Hotel first opened at its current site in 1905 and the original beer garden was one of the first in Adelaide.

In 2018, it underwent a major renovation including a redesign of the front bar, a repaint of the original facade, and a refurbishment of the rear dining room.

Matthews Hospitality chief executive Andrew Kemp said the acquisition was part of the group’s “strategic transition”, as it looked to capitalise on higher population densities in Adelaide’s inner suburbs.

“With apartment complexes being developed along northern suburban corridors and on the city fringe, we see a great opportunity to show the growing neighbourhood our brand of hospitality,” he said.

“The Sussex Hotel is already a successful business with live entertainment, restaurant, outdoor beer garden, sports bar and gaming. We’re not going to change what local patrons know and love but we will look at how we can build on the offering.”

Matthews Hospitality is one of the state’s largest ­family-operated pub groups, employing about 400 people across its venues.

Earlier this year it listed the historic Buckingham Arms site for sale, soon after its sale of the Colhurst House B&B mansion in Mount Gambier for $1.4m.