The people behind Melbourne’s most iconic pubs

These are the big-time players who own some of our city’s most iconic pubs in the CBD and suburbs.

Melbourne is the cultural capital of Australia.

We’re known for our love of sport, the arts, coffee, seriously good food and arguably some of the best pubs.

Made up of a mix of family-run and big business, these are the people behind our city’s favourite watering holes.

Melbourne’s pub game is filled with these colourful characters. Picture: David Swift.

Mt Erica Hotel in Prahran.

MOUNT ERICA HOTEL

Prahran’s beloved Mount Erica Hotel received an almighty revamp back in 2017.

Publicans Will Benjamin, Matt Vero and Callan Hitchens took over the High St project after the roaring success of their do-up of Fitzroy’s Marquis of Lorne in 2014.

The trio joined forces with chef Sean Donovan, who also owns and heads up the kitchen at Fitzroy Town Hall.

All publicans come from vastly different backgrounds — Benjamin from the pub game previously working at the Newmarket Hotel, Hitchens from city cocktail bar Eau de Vie and Vero, who’s big in Melbourne’s cafe game with ties to Left Field, Plain Sailing, Tall Timber and Touchwood cafes, and more recently Nine Yards in South Melbourne.

The MoL Pub Group also look after Union Dining in Richmond and its latest project Werribee’s Bridge Hotel in 2020.

Sean Donovan, of Fitzroy Town Hall and Mount Erica. Picture: Andrew Henshaw.

Matt Vero (second from left) with has a background in cafes.

Paul Waterson, Australian Venue Co chief executive. Picture: David Caird

AUSTRALIAN VENUE CO

The Australian Venue Co is one of the country’s biggest pub groups, led by chief executive Paul Waterson.

The group owns 175 venues across Australia and New Zealand, including 35 in Melbourne.

This includes European Bier Cafe and the Crafty Squire in the CBD, South Melbourne’s O’Connell’s Hotel, Brunswick’s Sarah Sands, Fitzroy’s Perseverance and The Provincial, St Kilda’s Newmarket Hotel and the Station Hotel in Footscray.

Waterson’s management background sits outside of hospitality, working as the general manager at both Spotless Group and Healthscope, while chief operating officer Craig Ellison has more than 25 years managing and owning large pub groups.

AVC’s major shareholder is KKR & Co — an American private equity firm.

Andrew Larke, Andy and Matt Mullins. Picture: Nicole Garmston

SAND HILL ROAD GROUP

Brothers Matt and Andy Mullins and mates Doug Maskiell and Tom Birch quit their day jobs in 2000, pooled their money and took over the lease of Fitzroy’s Commercial Club Hotel.

More than 20 years on and Sand Hill Road Group has 12 venues to its name, including jewel in the crown St Kilda’s new look Esplanade Hotel.

Andrew Larke came on as a partner in 2018 and is now chairman of the group. Last year SHRG’s senior ranks had a shake-up, with Dan Viney stepping down as chief executive and Bianca Dawson joining as chief operating offer and Matthew Rogers as chief financial officer.

Garden State and Waterside hotels in the city also fall under the portfolio, as well as Richmond’s Club Hotel, The Bridge, The Terminus, The Posty and the Prahran Hotel.

CBD pub Garden State Hotel. Picture: Jason Edwards

LAMARO’S HOTEL

Veteran chef Geoff Lindsay took over Lamaro’s in 2017 with AFL great Paul Dimattina.

Lindsay has been a big part of the city’s food scene for decades, with Richmond stalwart Pearl and Elwood’s late-Dandelion among the biggest feather’s in his cap.

After a 131-game career with the Western Bulldogs, Dimattina moved into hospitality opening family-run business Dimattina’s and Il Gambero on Lygon St in Carlton, and then Southbank’s Blue Train Cafe.

Paul Dimattina and Geoff Lindsay.

Andrew McConnell, Anthony Hammond and Josh Murphy at Builders Arms Hotel.

BUILDERS ARMS, FITZROY

Melbourne restaurateur Andrew McConnell, best known for his Cumulus, Gimlet and Supernormal fame, moved into the pub game a decade ago when he signed a lease at Fitzroy’s Builders Arms Hotel.

Back in 2011, McConnell was a non-operational partner, with Anthony Hammond and Josh Murphy running the show.

Murphy had worked as a head chef at McConnell’s Cumulus restaurant and went on to take a three-month residency at Sydney’s Folonomo before moving to West Footscray pizzeria Harley and Rose.

Hammond is a second-generation publican, who still co-owns Builders’ with McConnell, but has also holds the reins at Footscray’s The Victoria Hotel.