Geelong’s Eureka Hotel to enter new era
After months of renovations and improvements, the iconic pub is set to relaunch on Friday, looking to the future while nodding to it’s storied past. SEE INSIDE.
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A new chapter for the popular Eureka Hotel is set to begin on Friday.
The Eureka Hotel’s history goes back 170 years - some will remember it as an iconic live music pub, others a thriving nightclub or restaurant.
While the latest iteration could be seen as a major departure from its roots, the brain child of co-owners Tom Ward and Ian Nichols manages to incorporate the location’s storied past, while embracing the future with open arms.
After taking over the venue in July of this year, Mr Ward and Mr Nichols got to work moulding the venue, at the corner of Shorts Place and Little Malop St, to their unique vision.
As a result, the venue has been split in two - the Eureka Hotel, a modern pub with live music, and Evie, a sophisticated club upstairs.
Punters will find five unique areas including a main bar area, open and trading as West End.
Mr Ward said the vision is to “pubify” this area, without going back in time.
“(West End) has been more fine dining, we’re making it a pub again” Mr Ward said.
“The Eureka used to be dark and dingy, we’ve going to make it light and bright.”
Towards the back of the room, where there once was a wall, there is now an entry-way into a new area, complete with a new stage and bar. This band room features a retractable roof and sound system.
SEE THE EUREKA FLASHBACK GALLERY
The room will be tested for the first time by former Australia’s Got Talent contestants and brothers Cam and Taylor Henderson on Friday.
Sneaky Sound System, British India and Havana Brown headline the list of acts set to help bring live music back into the heart of Geelong this year.
The third area is found tucked behind the stage, also with featuring retractable roof with windows that look through to the stage.
Co-owner Ian Nichols said the inspiration for the area came from venues like the Esplanade Hotel in St Kilda and the Garden State Hotel in the heart of Melbourne, the plan being to fill the area with plants.
“The vision is to give Geelong something it’s been asking for,” he said.
Upstairs punters will find the brand new Evie, a club that Mr Nichols said Geelong “just doesn’t have.”
“It’s more of a club and less of a nightclub,” Mr Nichols said.
“It’s a unique space, we even have a VIP area that offers bottle service.”
There will be a DJ booth, a dance floor, and plenty of vintage furniture to get comfy on.
One side of Evie’s main room looks out onto the thriving west end of Little Malop St, while the other features a doorway out to a terrace area which also features a retractable roof and another bar.
While Evie and the Eureka will be separate venues, on special occasions they will be joined, offering five bars, two dance floors, two levels of excitement, and the potential to pack 900 patrons inside.
The venue’s grand opening will be taking place at midday on Friday, with live music kicking off downstairs at 8.30pm and DJ’s spinning at Evie from 10pm.
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Originally published as Geelong’s Eureka Hotel to enter new era
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