Country pubs hit the market: Check out our list of what’s for sale, where, in regional Victoria
Scores of Melburnians ditching the city for the regions could do worse than buy a country pub. These watering holes are currently on the market.
Victoria
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If you’ve ever fancied pulling beers at your own country pub the time’s never been better.
The Covid push to the bush and the stop, start economy has seen dozens of mainly country watering holes hit the market.
A lease at Rushworth Hotel, two hours north of Melbourne is $49,000 a year, a lease at the Yea Grand Central Hotel, 113km north east is $125,000 and $450,000 will give you they keys to Daylesford Hotel in the tourist hot spot.
The freehold for the iconic Sarah Sands Hotel, in Brunswick, with a long term Australian Venue Group lease at $357,487 per year, is on the market.
AnyBusiness.com.au director Mary Tamvakologos said the platform has 125 Victorian pubs listed, and 317 nationally, up on 12 months ago.
“I think the so-called ‘great resignation’ in 2022 will see more people looking at business
opportunities and self-employment. Everyone has a dream and after the shift in priorities and working conditions of the past 18 months, more people than ever are looking to fulfil that dream,” she said.Ms Tamvakologos said there was appeal for an escape to the country and many people working for home had tapped into local facilities including the local hotel which was often a community hub.
Ms Tamvakologos said the stop, start nature of the pandemic had affected businesses but often regional areas were open while metropolitan Melbourne was closed.
She said state government vouchers for people to travel around Victoria in between lockdowns also had helped country businesses.
CRE Brokers agent Rohan Pertzel, who deals in pubs, motels and caravan parks, said the market had been strong for two years.
He said vendors weren’t selling due to Covid distress but three to four years was often long enough for many owners.
“There are people looking to buy pubs. One thing that Covid has taught us is that the pub is an important part of the community,” he said.
The former Torquay publican said some rural hotels would have benefited from people working from home and being able to go out for a meal midweek during a time they may have otherwise been commuting.
But he warned running a pub wasn’t all beer and skittles and required hard work and long hours.
He said vendors of a hotel he was listing needed a change after seven years but looked back fondly on being part of the community and a focal point for births, deaths, christenings and other important milestones.
McDonald Hospitality Brokers managing director Dan McDonald said he had observed two themes of resurgence with a migration from the city to the country and hotels diversifying.
“There has been a rural and regional resurgence in country hotels,” he said.
“We are finding demand from capital city migrations to the regional areas.”
Albury based, he said there had been strong inquiry from highly skilled metropolitan hospitality operators looking to relocate.
“They have gone through the shutdowns that Covid has provided and are looking at the opportunity to run and own their own business in the industry,” he said.
He said pubs using Covid to modernise had more success. That might have been opening earlier to offer coffee and breakfast or putting empty upstairs room to use for accommodation to unlock another income stream.
He believed hotel interest was reflecting general interest in country property but infrastructure such as schools was a factor for families.
Mr McDonald said there was strong investment interest in buying hotel properties.
CORPORATE CAREER DITCHED FOR PUB
First there were bushfires and then came Covid, but nearly two years on, country publican Lyn Waight is optimistic.
So much so, the Ovens Happy Valley Hotel owner has bought the nearby Whorouly pub, 15 minutes up the road, 270km north east of Melbourne.
Ms Waight, who worked in hospitality briefly years ago quit her sales and management job, to take over Happy Valley in November 2019.
“I had always wanted to own a country pub and I did not want to get to 90 and regret I did not buy one,” she said.
“You only get one round in this life.”
She said the key to the success of the pub was good food, service, staff and vibes.
Ms Waight said country publicans carried a big responsibility as custodians of local hotels, which were the heartbeat of the community.
“It was incredibly important for the community to ensure that the pub was still here when the pandemic was over. My main thing was to ensure that the pub would be a viable concern and be ready to welcome everyone back,” she said.
She launched a coffee van, selling muffins. But as the lockdown hit it became a hub for the community and she added homemade pies, pasties and other goodies.
The pub menu switched to take away and free delivery within 10km.
While it is hard work she has not regretted the decision.
Ms Waight said she looked at a few pubs over a few months when she got stuck on Happy Valley with its rich history and character.
“It was a very good pub but I could see the potential to do more,” she said.
She has the same hopes for Whorouly, training staff for when she takes over on February 1.
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