Brisbane pubs spending big on fitouts to lure punters
In times gone past you could walk into a smoky pub almost anywhere in Queensland and come across similar fitouts, beers on tap, and menus.
But it appears those days are numbered as pubs look to attract new patrons with multi-million-dollar, revamped interiors and restaurants that serve the latest culinary trends.
Tom Gleeson, an associate with JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group, said Brisbane hotels had evolved to keep pace with the changing demographics in their areas. Patrons were demanding more with their beer or wine and successful operators were listening.
”I believe the greatest impact on hotel designs within Queensland has been the increased expectations of the patron with regards to the dining experience,” he said.
”The most successful hotels now need to be multifaceted and provide a number of offerings within the one space.
”The design trends have to not only provide a refreshed aesthetic, while also improving functionality and maximising the floor plate.”
The Story Bridge Hotel, in Kangaroo Point, has changed a lot since its early days as a workers’ pub. Photo: Tourism QLD
An example of this metamorphosis was the Story Bridge Hotel, at Kangaroo Point, he said.
”The Story Bridge in the 60s was traditionally a workers’ hotel and over time, as the surrounding area has transformed, so has the hotel layout, design and offerings,” Mr Gleeson said.
And rather than being greeted by a wall of cigarette smoke, patrons were now more likely to see a wall of greenery when they walked into many pubs.
In fact Mr Gleeson said vertical gardens were becoming a common feature of many pub refurbishments such as in the recently renovated Belvedere Hotel, in Woody Point.
The Belvedere Hotel in Brisbane, one of the new breed of pubs in the city. Photo: Facebook
The newly re-opened Queens Arms Hotel in Fortitude Valley also boasted a 40-square-metre green wall, after undergoing a recent $5 million facelift.
Apollo Property Group, which designed and rebuilt the pub, worked closely with owners Chris and Lou Condon to balance the renovations with the building’s heritage status.
Apollo Property Group director Leon Bowes said the refurbishment had preserved the history of the building, while modernising and expanding aspects of the hotel.
“We’ve maintained original materials such as flooring, brickwork and timber and have teamed these with the likes of a 30-square-metre glass panel entry and a state-of-the-art kitchen providing meals 20 hours a day that in turn will service the new adjoining Sage Hotel,” he said.
Mr Condon said the renovations to the Queens Arms ”solidify our hospitality credentials as both a lively pub and top-notch restaurant”.
