Irish Finnegans undergoes renovations and name change to The Condo Hotel
Following $2.5m in renovations, a beloved Townsville pub has abandoned its former identity and menu in its quest to appeal to a wider demographic. See what’s changed.
After nearly three decades of quenching thirst with Guinness, the Townsville pub formerly known as Irish Finnegans has undergone a name change, multimillion-dollar renovations, and a menu update to broaden its appeal.
The popular watering hole is now known as The Condo Hotel, in a nod to the suburb of Condon, where it was built in 1998.
Owned by ALH Hotels, who operate a portfolio of over 350 licensed venues across Australia, The Condo’s rebranding became official in September, following the conclusion of a six-month renovation process, worth $2.5m.
The Condo Hotel publican Pauline Reynolds said has received plenty of positive feedback about the pub’s transformation, which was now “more welcoming” and family-friendly, with an open plan layout, “light and bright” colour scheme, more greenery, and a diverse new menu.
There was new comfortable furniture, a TAB, and a wall has been knocked down to combine the bar and bistro in one section, and a spacious gaming room in another.
“We’ve had a really good response from the locals. They’ve appreciated seeing it brought back to life as a modern world class destination,” Ms Reynolds said.
While the Irish Finnegans name had a great history in the community, she said it also “limited the perception of the venue”.
“We’re trying to appeal to a broader range of guests by moving away from the niche-themed pub to a modern sophisticated hospitality offering … where everyone is included,” Ms Renolds said.
“The new brand aims to establish the hotel as a premium destination for local diners and business guests … also as a family place where people can bring their kids, and have really good food and great drinks.”
Featuring modern Australian cuisine with a couple of Asian twists, the updated menu leans heavily into shared plates, while also showcasing “elevated pub classics”, homemade garlic bread and desserts.
“We’ve got steak sandwiches, racks of ribs, fish and chips, schnitzels, and there’s 12 share plate options with lamb skewers, pork belly bites, and a pull-apart garlic bread rather than the basic garlic bread that everybody serves at every other venue,” she said.
In the future, there were plans to deploy shade sails over the carpark.
Irish Finnegans’ rebranding follows The Shamrock’s rebranding to The Pub on Palmer last year, leaving just two Irish-themed bars to authentically celebrate St Patrick’s Day in Townsville - Molly Malone’s Irish Pub and Flynns Irish Bar.
For more information, visit: www.thecondohotel.com.au.
More Coverage
Originally published as Irish Finnegans undergoes renovations and name change to The Condo Hotel
Man suffers ‘serious injuries’ in Bobcat incident
