Former Bracken Ridge Tavern general manager buys Toowoomba’s Spotted Cow Hotel off Hallmark Hospitality
The man whose family has helmed one of Brisbane’s most iconic venues has taken control of a legendary Toowoomba pub. Here’s what he has planned:
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Ben White remembers going to Toowoomba’s famous Spotted Cow with his grandparents as a kid.
“The Spotted Cow is iconic, everyone knows that — never thought I’d own it one day,” he said.
Mr White, whose family has been in the hospitality sector for nearly 50 years, is already a week into his tenure as the venue’s new publican after snapping up the freehold and business from Hallmark Hospitality.
The Brisbane man, who now calls Toowoomba home, previously ran the Bracken Ridge Tavern that his parents still hold, with the Spotted Cow representing his first chance to branch out on his own.
“I was born and bred in the pub game in Bracken Ridge, my family have owned it for 45 years, and I’ve worked there for 23 of those,” Mr White said.
“I was a yardie and glassie and ran meals, did gaming and retail, and then I was the nightclub manager, and worked through until I became the manager.
“I’ve done an apprenticeship under mum and dad, so now’s the time to put myself out there — I’ve got their support.”
His acquisition of the venue will signal an extensive set of cosmetic and operational changes, most notably a fresh paint job.
Mr White said he also planned to revamp the menus at both the bistro and sports bar, while introducing private dining, live music and pushing its upstairs function space.
“I’m going to make this underused room up the back a private dining room — it could be for special occasions for families and small parties, but (at the Bracken Ridge Tavern) we had so many notable people who use our previous private dining room.
“The restaurant is a bistro, but I’m going to transform that to a for-purpose steakhouse, and I’m talking to local beef producers on the Darling Downs because that’s important.
“I’ll be changing the sports bar menu so that it’s catered towards sociable food, but also getting a TAB and some big screens there.”
In a move that will excite footy fans, Mr White plans to make the pub Toowoomba’s home of the North Queensland Cowboys, while also looking to host fundraisers for local sporting and community groups.
“We want to make it the home of the Cowboys, there’s no major team so getting those players here would be something great for Toowoomba,” he said.
“On Fridays, I’m in talks with XXXX to be approved as a ‘beer off the wood’ venue, where you order a wooden keg.
“I want to put one on the bar every Friday, and you raise money when you order schooners — I want to call it a Karma Keg.”
The sale comes more than three years after Hallmark bought the venue off long-time owners the Coorey family, before completing an extensive renovation.
It is the 11th venue Hallmark has sold off recently, with hospitality giant Australian Venue Co snapping up 10 of their outlets as part of a major deal.
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Originally published as Former Bracken Ridge Tavern general manager buys Toowoomba’s Spotted Cow Hotel off Hallmark Hospitality
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