Lees Hotel: Waymark Hotels buys famed hotel with no beer in Ingham

A North Queensland pub famed as the hotel with no beer – and more recently no food – is serving up lashings of both after a multi-million dollar makeover.

Waymark Hotels regional manager Trent Farrell outside the famed pub with no beer ahead of the opening of its new Bistro, which showcased the best in Australian cuisine and a number of dishes in a nod to the district’s Italian heritage, including pasta, chicken parmigiana, wines and beers. The landmark hotel is also offering a number of lunch specials as well as weekly specials. Picture: Cameron Bates

A North Queensland pub famed in poem and song as the hotel with no beer – and more recently as the pub with no food – is now serving up generous lashings of both after a multi-million dollar makeover.

Lees Hotel hosted a relaunch party in Ingham on Friday to officially celebrate its purchase by Brisbane-based hospitality business Waymark Hotels and the opening of its new Bistro that offered an array of bang-up Australian fare.

“We’ve been the pub with no food for the last 16 months, so we’ve finally got food in here as well,” Waymark Hotels regional manager Trent Farrell said.

“It’s a beautiful, brand-spanking new kitchen, everything’s the latest and whiz-bang in there and it’s great to bring that to the market in Ingham.”

Waymark Hotels regional manager Trent Farrell said the new menu at Lees Hotel in Ingham showcased the best in Australian cuisine and a number of dishes in a nod to the district’s Italian heritage, including pasta, chicken parmigiana, wines and beers. Picture: Doug Simpson

Waymark Hotels regional manager Trent Farrell said the new menu on offer at Lees Hotel in Ingham would stick to the “age-old formula of your hotel classics, including great-quality steak, fresh local fish and prawns”. Picture: Doug Simpson

Mr Farrell said Waymark was a privately owned boutique business.

Lees Hotel in Ingham. Picture: Doug Simpson

Waymark Hotels regional manager Trent Farrell said the new menu at Lees Hotel in Ingham showcased the best in Australian cuisine and a number of dishes in a nod to the district’s Italian heritage, including pasta, chicken parmigiana, wines and beers. Picture: Doug Simpson

Mr Farrel said that Lees Hotel was in the centre of town and “it’s got a lot of natural history”.

“It’s got a wealth of opportunity in relation to the property and the community and we think we can do things a little bit differently and a little bit better and have more of an impact with the community than the current competition.”

Lees Hotel in Ingham. Picture: Doug Simpson

Lees Hotel in Ingham. Picture: Doug Simpson

Lees Hotel shot to stardom with the release of Slim Dusty’s ‘A Pub with No Beer’, based on the poem by local poet Dan Sheahan.

Mr Farrel said the multi-million dollar acquisition and redevelopment had a “long way to go”, including a planned remodelling of the façade to “give a nod to hits heritage”.

Lees Hotel in Ingham. Picture: Doug Simpson

He said Waymark was focused on “community and families, food and drink”.

Originally published as Lees Hotel: Waymark Hotels buys famed hotel with no beer in Ingham