Hotel Mackay makeover: Victoria St pub plans for beer garden, new rooms

A CBD pub is having new life breathed into it with an opening date just months away. Take a look inside.

A city heart pub is getting a much needed makeover as the new owners reveal their grand designs.

Restoration and renovation work is underway at the Hotel Mackay as concept art and designs reveal the scope of the reconstruction and where a brand new beer garden will be housed.

Ben Phillips, Mark Laffin, Nicole Batzloff, and Rebecca Phillips said they were going to bring fresh life to the “historic venue” as the new owners in a Facebook post.

“Get ready for a family-friendly space with great food, a dynamic beer garden for live performances, and Puffa’s Sports Bar,” they said.

“Renovations are underway, aiming for a grand reopening in mid-2025!”

Laffos Bar and Pizzeria co owner Mark Laffin's bought the hotel in late 2024. Picture: Madeleine Graham.

Mark Laffin and Nicole Batzloff own and run the Caneland Central icon Laffos Bar and Pizzeria and assured the public on their Facebook page Laffos was not going anywhere.

“Here’s to a wonderful new chapter for Mackay,” they said.

New designs into the renovation of the Hotel Mackay reveal big plans as the new owners aim to add a beer garden to the pub.

Just four months later and the new owners have delivered their first major update showing an artist’s rendition of the finished product.

The beer garden is a cornerstone of the Hotel Mackay’s rejuvenation and is the ultimate goal of the redevelopment’s second stage.

The update, posted to the Laffos Bar and Pizzeria Facebook page, said planning was 99 per cent complete and construction will continue in three stages.

Stage one will be the renovation of the restaurant, main bar and a new sports bar is slated for completion in May.

An artists rendering of the new beer gardens show places to seat and a separate bar to service the new area.

Work is underway for this stage with a video posted to the page showing construction has gutted the interior of the pub and the restoration in progress.

The much anticipated stage two will create a structure to the rear of the property where the new beer garden will be housed as well as a new bar to service the area.

Stage three will include the completion of the upstairs suites and could potentially involve the creation of a new wing of rooms in a second floor extension.

“We can’t wait to have our first drink at the pub,” they said.

Originally published as Hotel Mackay makeover: Victoria St pub plans for beer garden, new rooms