It’s the end of an era at the Breakfast Creek Hotel as venue boss Sam Gullo retires

There’s been a changing of the guard at one of Brisbane’s most iconic watering holes.

Sam Gullo. Photo by Chris McCormack.

THERE’S been a changing of the guard at one of Brisbane’s most iconic watering holes.

It’s the end of an era at the Breakfast Creek Hotel, where venue manager Sam Gullo has retired after nearly 15 years at the helm.

Gullo, 68, finished up last Friday after almost 50 years in the hospitality game across multiple venues, including The Victory in the CBD, as well as pubs in Gladstone and Bald Hills.

“You get to that age and you start thinking about some travelling and doing some other things,’’ Gullo told City Beat yesterday.

“It’s a very demanding job. You have to give it a lot and I gave it all I could.’’

Sam Gullo

Under his watch, the Creek toughed it out during the 2011 floods, launched its Substation No. 41 rum bar and created a dry ageing cabinet in the Spanish Garden.

There were also numerous charity fundraising events and plenty of winning bids for the heavyweight grand champion lead steers ahead of the Ekka each year.

Through it all, the hotel’s 150-strong staff continued serving about 20,000 guests a month and cooking up more than 5000 steaks every week.

Gullo went out in style, with a session in the public bar, where he received a watch and small red keg like the ones used to store that famous XXXX on the wood.

Castlemaine Perkins even added a small plaque complete with their trademark bloke with the boater hat.

Later, Gullo was joined by billionaire ALH founder Bruce Mathieson, as well as the group’s state manager, Steve Clarke, and operations manager, Tim Osborne, for a well-earned celebration.

As good as the steaks are at the ALH-owned Creek, the gang headed over to Gambaro’s on Caxton Street for a feed and a few libations.

Filling Gullo’s big shoes later this month will be Lance Burrows, who previously served as hospitality manager at the new Howard Smith Wharves.

MORE DEPARTURES

MORE senior bureaucrats are heading for the exits following last month’s shock suspension of long-serving Public Trustee Peter Carne.

His deputy, solicitor Mark Crofton, remains on leave and will be gone by July 19 after 27 years at the office.

Rob Moran, executive director of client services, has resigned, while human resources and marketing chief Erica Gallagher plans to leave in the middle of the month to take up another role.

Peter Carne

A spin doctor for the Public Trustee’s office said yesterday the departures were unrelated to Carne’s suspension and the agency was “unaware of anyone else being investigated’’ as a result.

Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath said previously that Carne faces “serious allegations that could amount to misbehaviour’’ but she would not divulge details.

The Crime and Corruption Commission has confirmed that it is “investigating allegations of corrupt conduct relating to the Public Trustee of Queensland’’ but it would not elaborate beyond that statement.

Carne, a well-established Labor identity who has held the job for all but two years since 2009, could not be reached for comment yesterday.

TROOPS DEPARTING

SPEAKING of troops departing, we hear there’s been quite a bit of that going on at embattled Gold Coast dental group Smiles Inclusive, which is facing a possible class action lawsuit by aggrieved investors.

Chief commercial officer Keith Nicholls and chief information officer Paul Johansen both resigned last week from the loss-making firm, which has seen its share price nose dive since listing early last year.

Mike Timoney

Another seven support staff were also made redundant, including the head of marketing.

The cutbacks come as the company has announced plans for a $1.2 million capital raising after it vanquished a board spill backed by the company founder, former CEO Mike Timoney, and ex-chairman David Herlihy.

Ironically, one of the targets of that board spill, director Tracy Penn, survived only to resign last week.

Disgruntled dentists threaten class action over Smiles Inclusive share value slide in first year

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