Bli Bli Tavern opening date confirmed as construction starts on $20m pub

A five-year wait for the first beer is about to end with construction starting on a new five-storey suburban tavern building, with the pub to span three levels. SEE THE PLANS

The long wait for a frothy for Bli Bli locals is nearly over with construction starting on a new tavern set to span three levels of a $20m, five-storey building.

Construction has started on the Bli Bli tavern – set on a 3200sq m site – which will become one of the largest licensed venues on the Sunshine Coast when finished.

Developers Michael and Roz White are behind the much anticipated $20m Bli Bli Tavern which is set to open in one of the region’s fastest growing suburbs by mid-2022.

It will be operated by Sunshine Coast Hotels managing director Scott Armstrong in partnership with the Story Bridge Hotel owner Richard Deery.

Mr Armstrong said the 2350sq m tavern would be of a “serious scale” only comparable in size to the Kawana Waters and Kings Beach taverns or the Banana Bender Pub.

Construction has started on much anticipated $20m Bli Bli Tavern project which will be operated by hotelier Scott Armstrong and developed by Roz and Michael White of White‘s IGA. Photo: Patrick Woods.

He said his company’s taverns at Brightwater, Parklands and Baringa were all about 1300sq m.

“I reckon this would be close to the largest on the Sunshine Coast, it’s about 1000sq m larger than Parklands and Brightwater, and on three levels,” Mr Armstrong said.

“The difference here is this will have its own dedicated gaming area broken off from the main bar.

“We’ve been sitting on it for some time so we’re happy to see it finally get off the ground.”

Inside the $20m Bli Bli Tavern that has ocean views.

The tavern is due to open by mid-2022 and will occupy three of the five storeys.

The long-awaited new pub will include a drive-through bottle shop on the ground floor, a gaming lounge on the middle floor, and the top level exclusively for food and beverage offerings.

The complex will also include around 156 undercover car parks and eight one-bedroom short term accommodation units on the fifth level of the building.

The food and beverage level will come with a sports bar with TAB, bistro, function room, children’s room and deck bar with retractable roof.

Mr Armstrong said the venue would be an ideal place for families, complete with a function space that can cater for weddings, parties and meetings.

Construction is set to commence on the third and final stage of the Bli Bli Village Town Centre which will include the much anticipated $20m Bli Bli Tavern project.

Developer Michael White said the tavern was the final piece of the jigsaw for the $40m Bli Bli Village development.

Mr White said there had been some delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We have been waiting a few years to get into the position to do it and with the population of Bli Bli now the timing is right,” Mr White said.

“All the talk on social media for the past few years has been when the tavern is opening.

“The tavern will complement what already exists in and around Bli Bli and will be a central meeting place for locals as well as those visiting the numerous tenants in the town centre.”

Construction is set to commence on the third and final stage of the Bli Bli Village Town Centre which will include the much anticipated $20m Bli Bli Tavern project.

He said the hotel would be a more “up market” venue than other establishments in the area.

Mr White had said in June 2020 that construction had been delayed due to the pandemic and that works were due to start later that year.

The building was designed by Sprout Architects and will be built by Evans Built who anticipate construction will be completed by mid 2022.

The Bli Bli Village project was granted council approval in March, 2016, with the final-stage tavern’s construction to mark the end of a more than five-year wait for thirsty locals for their own watering hole.