Boathouse Manly: Plans for new site revealed

The owners of the Boathouse brand has big plans for its newest venue, and say it could be its most ‘impressive’ site when it’s done. Find out what’s planned.

The Boathouse group has big dreams for its newest venture, including attracting boaties who want to arrive by water and linking its new Manly venue with its Rose Bay one via a VIP taxi service.

Ben Isaac and his brother Jono, last month announced they had taken over the lease of the state heritage Manly Pavilion site in West Esplanade from the Severino family, which runs the Miramare Venue & Events company.

The lease runs until 2040.

The Manly Pavilion restaurant and function centre on the waterfront at the end of West Esplanade, Manly. Picture: Supplied

Mr Isaac told the Manly Daily that one idea being floated was to link the venues more easily, so customers can go between the two.

“How good would it be to have lunch at Rose Bay and then party on in Manly in the evening?” he said.

He would also love to see it better developed as a wedding venue with the option of arriving by boat.

Pre-Covid the group hosted around 300 weddings a year across its Boathouse sites which include Rose Bay, Balmoral, Shelly Beach, Palm Beach, Barrenjoey House, Whale Beach and Patonga on the Central Coast.

Ben and Jono Isaac bought the Boathouse Group from troubled owners Andrew Goldsmith and Pip Robb, who still working for the business. The brothers are pictured at the Boathouse Balmoral. Picture Ryan Osland

Meanwhile, manager Andrew Goldsmith said further down the track they would like to attract more people who want to arrive by private boat, which was a popular way of arriving for customers going to their Rose Bay venue.

“If people were able to moor up at Manly that would be the dream,” Mr Goldsmith said.

Mr Isaac said that he hoped the new refit, along with the relaxed vibe of the Boathouse venues, will see more people walking round to West Esplanade, an area the council wants to reactivate.

He also said that the Manly Pavilion will be a crucial part of the jigsaw in the success of the reactivation.

The fate of the Sea Life Aquarium at Manly, which is now an eyesore, is still to be decided.

He said he would like to see his venue help “rebalance” the harbour front so not all the activity was centred around the wharf or the east end of Manly Cove.

Suggestions for the future of the Sea Life Aquarium in Manly, which has become an eyesore, is expected soon.

The most likely option that will be put forward is to bulldoze it so the space could be opened up.

There could also be an opportunity to build a wharf at the end to give better access to Manly via private boat, something that is lacking at the moment.

The new leaseholders also want to make the venue a little more relaxed and less serious than it is currently.

“We want it to be a place where people can stop by in their boardies,” Mr Isaac said.

“But if they want to order a bottle of Bollinger and oysters they can.”

Dan and James celebrated their marriage at the Shelly Beach Boathouse. Photo: Adam Ward

Mr Goldsmith, who is in charge of the re-fit, said he hoped the venue would be ready to open by early February. He said people should expect a much more beachy feel when the doors open, although it will be more aligned with Barrenjoey House, than Shelly Beach.

He said the ground floor would remain a 250-seat event space for weddings or corporate events.

The top floor would be open for lunch and dinner.

Mr Isaac said as the new landlord he had met the owner of Manly Surf n Slide.

An artist impression of the outside of a Bali-style beach club at Manly. It is a concept proposed for the redevelopment of the Manly Surf n Slide site at Manly Cove. Picture: Supplied.

Personally he hoped the site, which is currently up for sale, will remain a water park.

It was being touted by an agent as ripe for an investor who wanted to turn it into a potential Bali-style beach hotel bar.

Mr Isaac, who grew up on the north shore but now lives on the northern beaches, said he remembered playing at the water slide park as a kid and felt the community would not want to lose.

He also said he had looked at the Q Station lease which is also up for sale, but would not be tendering as he wanted to give Manly Pavilion the attention it deserved.

“I think Manly Pavilion will be one of the most impressive venues we’ve got when it’s done,” he said.

Patrick Kelleher, Director of Pine Property, who was behind the lease deal, said a new Boathouse venue in Manly was a fantastic result for the area.

He said he thought a casual dining and family-friendly offering had a lot of potential and believed it will help “see the revitalisation of Manly Cove”.