Yarra Valley Grand Hotel, Pig & Whistle undergo renovations during lockdown
One of the Yarra Valley’s favourite hotels is getting a freshen up, with its owner saying every day of restrictions is one closer to being able to enjoy a drink there. And it isn’t the only pub in Melbourne’s east getting renovated.
Outer East
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Pub owners in the outer east are sprucing up their venues during the forced lockdown period as they await a date for reopening.
Yarra Valley Grand Hotel owner Craig Barnett said works at the Yarra Glen pub included replacing the deck and furniture and extending its marquee.
“Just stuff that needed to be done, we’re taking the opportunity while we are closed,” Mr Barnett said.
He said the Yarra Valley Grand was built in 1888 and had only had three owners.
“It’s very much a locals’ pub and offers good food and great accommodation and has lots of different aspects — there’s not many venues like it in Victoria,” he said.
Mr Barnett said it was surreal to see the pub empty.
“It’s normally a venue full of people having fun and nice experiences,” he said.
“We’re big sponsors giving to local charities and that bonding as well that you normally have with the footy club and the netball club (is gone at the moment) that’s the most frustrating part.”
But Mr Barnett, who also owns the Skinny Dog Hotel in Kew, said every day of lockdown was a day closer to reopening.
“I think we’ll be under restrictions until sometime in August and then over the following three months restrictions will hopefully be lifted,” he said.
“We can’t wait to open our doors.”
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The Pig & Whistle Tavern owner Jenine Roostan said they had also used the shutdown period to complete renovations at the Olinda venue.
“It’s given us a good opportunity to paint and renovate, we have been using the downtime positively but it’s financially a nightmare, but at least it gives us a bit of time to do things,” she said.
Ms Roostan said they had been offering takeaway and local deliveries during the lockdown.
She believed they would be one of the last industries to open again, possibly in September.
Ms Roostan said the one patron for every 4sq m rule previously in place for pubs was “hideous” and only allowed their venue to have 25 per cent capacity.
“But if it goes to 50 per cent capacity and we have to spread everything out and stagger it a bit more, we’ll cope with that,” she said.