The Telegraph Hotel to close doors for final time on April 24 as sale of the iconic waterfront building looms

It’s been a popular haunt for Hobart uni students for many years, but it’ll be last drinks soon after its owners chose not to renew their lease. SEE WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE PUB + STAFF >>

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AROUND the clock steins will soon be a thing of the past, with the popular Hobart waterfront pub The Telegraph Hotel set to close its doors for the final time.

The iconic Hobart pub, affectionately known as The Tele, went back on the market earlier this year after the for sale sign was taken down during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pub, on the corner of Morrison and Brooke streets, was being marketed as “the last unencumbered redevelopment site on one of the world’s great waterfront precincts.”

Staff member Nyah Clarke and Licensee Ian Vaughan share a beer ahead of the Telegraph Hotels closure this month. Picture Eddie Safarik

The pub, a popular haunt with university students, was established in 1858 as the Electric Telegraph Hotel and was renamed the Telegraph in 1877.

Following a fire in circa-1939, the hotel was rebuilt and renamed around 1993 as the Brooke Street Bar and Cafe.

The Telegraph Hotel at 19 Morrison Street, Hobart. Photo: Knight Frank

It became The Telegraph again in the early 2000s.

Owner Ian Vaughan said the final trading day would be next Saturday (April 24) and it would come with mixed feelings.

“We’ve had a great 13 years, but a combination of many things has led us to the decision to not extend the next four-year lease,” he said.

“We had an option to, but decided against it given the economic climate, COVID restrictions, being in a mixed use area with accommodation providers complaining about noise, the council changing our outdoor area – it’s been numerous things over the last four or five years.”

Staff member Nyah Clarke and Licensee Ian Vaughan. Picture Eddie Safarik

Mr Vaughan said staff from The Tele will be redeployed to their other venues such as Post Street Social, the Republic Bar, The Observatory Bar, Cargo, Jack Greene and T42.

An expressions of interest process for the sale of the building closed on March 25.

Knight Frank Tasmania listing agent John Blacklow said it had not yet sold, but negotiation with parties was continuing, with an outcome expected “within the next week or two.”

“We had a lot of inquiries – we issued well over 100 property reports on it and there was a lot of interest from interstate from hotel groups as well as local,” he said.