Narrabeen RSL leasehold offered to breathe new life into the club
Sydney’s Returned and Services Leagues clubs are undergoing a renaissance as patrons and members look for a night out with improved food, beverage and entertainment offerings as an alternative to pubs.
RSL Club was founded in 1916 as support organisation for people who have served or are serving in the Australian Defence Force. RSL clubs remain focused on members but as numbers dwindle, operators look to expand the business to attract younger members.
Generally, the properties sit on prime slabs of land, and investors and operators leap at the chance to get a foothold into a neighbourhood when the clubs close or are put on sale.
One such club is the Narrabeen RSL, known as the “Razza” on Sydney’s northern beaches, has its lease up for sale. It will give the club a new livelihood after it went into voluntary administration earlier this year when turnover and patronage took a pandemic-related hit.
CBRE’s Leif Olson and HTL Property’s Sam Handy are advising the facility’s landlord, the Narrabeen RSL sub-branch, on the campaign for a leaseholder for the popular venue.
Under the plan, the RSL sub-branch will work with the operator to provide a meeting point for veterans and their families to access services, support and camaraderie and to commemorate.
“Savvy operators are changing tack, particularly post the pandemic, to increase market appeal,” Olson said.
“For many RSL clubs, this means repositioning to target a younger demographic, focusing on entertainment to drive a quality F&B offering, and extending operating hours to be morning, noon and night, with additions such as kids play areas and barefoot bowls.”
Adapting to suit a changing clientele has already paid dividends for the reinvented Dee Why RSL, which recently underwent a two-year, $100 million makeover.
While retaining its essence as a services club where clientele stop and pay their respects to the fallen at 6pm every day, it has broadened its offering with a new cocktail bar serving its own gin creation under a five-tier chandelier, the opening of the largest sports bar on the northern beaches, a reimagining of its modern dining restaurant and the addition of regular DJs.
Regarding Narrabeen RSL, Olson said the venue offered significant potential given its prominent location behind Warriewood Square Shopping Centre and Narrabeen Lagoon, large residential trading catchment, existing membership base of about 3500 and recent standing as one of the northern beaches’ most prominent live music venues.
There is also limited surrounding competition across clubs, pubs, restaurants and bars, with long tenure, market rents and flexible terms available for qualified prospective tenants.
HTL’s Handy said the northern beaches pub market was incredibly strong and had attracted the likes of leading operators such as Justin Hemmes, Fraser Short and ALH.
“Narrabeen RSL provides a virtual blank canvas for an incoming operator to activate a more relevant and compelling food and beverage proposition and a completely differentiated offering across multiple levels, including extensive outdoor areas and use of the bowling greens,” Handy said.
