Peter Griffiths has sold Crookwell’s stoic Commercial Hotel – aka the Horse & Hound – to three brothers Murray, ushering locals into the pub game.
The two-storey brick pub on main street was built 1871 on a 1,141sqm block. It is known locally as the Commercial, although last traded as the Horse & Hound before closing around five years ago.
It was purchased by hotelier Peter Griffiths, who went on to buy a pub in Bathurst for which he has big plans, including a large development on an adjacent block.
A DA on a $1.8m refurbishment of the Commercial was submitted to Council and approved, but Griffiths determined instead to offer up the property to focus on his other plans.
Listed in November through Ray White Goulburn’s Paul Mcintosh, suggesting sale price of $550k, it attracted several parties, with Mark, Scott and Andrew Murray stepping up to take the keys for $590k +gst.
The Murray family has lived several generations in the Crookwell region, and own other property in the area.
The Murray boys have returned to buy their former drinking hole, settling this week.
“The bones are there. It’s probably the best laid-out pub in town,” remarked McIntosh of the property.
Taking possession of a blank canvas, with new licence attached, the Murrays confirm the pub will return to its traditional moniker, but while the DA won’t be executed, details on plans are yet to be announced.
“They will have to do a bit of work before council will let it open, but I wish them best of luck,” McIntosh adds.
“As buildings go, it’s a bit of an iconic stand-alone, with history in the main street.”
