Two prime hotels are on offer in booming NSW regional hub Orange, providing opportunity and scale in agricultural heartland.
Established in 1890, the two-storey Hotel Orange is the oldest pub in the area, residing on a prominent 712sqm lot on one of the busiest intersections in central western NSW.
Over the years it has been known as the Federal Hotel, Empire Hotel, and Tourist Hotel, before taking its current moniker in 2007.
Over the decades it has become a central part of the community, offering at ground level a family-friendly bar and sports bar, restaurant and multiple private dining areas, late-night entertainment, beer garden and accommodation, with a Council carpark at the rear.
Upstairs there is a function room or nightclub with bar service, a meeting room, six accommodation rooms – with separate street access – and multiple veranda areas.
There is also a separate retail shop, which is currently vacant, providing potential passive income or expanded trading footprint.
The building has been recently renovated, in sympathy to its classic country pub charm.
Although licensed from 5am-3am Monday to Saturday and 10am-midnight Sunday, the hotel has been closed Mondays and only operating 3pm-10pm Tuesday to Thursday, 10:30-3am Friday and Saturday, and 10:30-8:30 pm on Sundays.
Orange is found approximately 250 kilometres west of Sydney. It counts population of over 43,000 residents, with a median age of 37 years, and robust economy based around healthcare, education, and mining, underpinned by a strong focus on agriculture.
Flanked by the landmark Mount Canobolas, an extinct volcano rising to 1,395 metres and granting commanding views of the district, Orange is increasingly a hub for tourism, holding rich cultural heritage and historical sites, scenic parks and gardens, and a plethora of activities – most prominently its renowned food and wine scene.
According to Annual Report Orange 360, FY23 saw 1.41 million overnight and day visitors to the city, which is four per cent higher than the previous year, spending an estimated $446 million across the region.
The private vendor purchased Hotel Orange in 2018 from Mick Fabar and family, but is finding other business interests are taking his time, prompting the sale.
An Expressions of Interest campaign is being conducted by Manenti Quinlan’s Leonard Bongiovanni and Jeremy Cusack, closing Wednesday, 24 April.
“Hotel Orange is a piece of Orange’s history,” says Bongiovanni. “The sale represents a rare opportunity to own a landmark that has been the centrepiece of hospitality in the region for decades.”
Separately, a lease on the Lord Anson Hotel is also on offer through the same agents.
A handsome two-storey hotel, it sits proudly on an 811sqm site in the heart of Orange, at the entry to the Orange City Centre Shopping Centre.
The Lord comprises public bar, pool room, lounge or library seating, and at the rear a large entertainment area and bistro seating with stage. On the upper level there is a function room with veranda seating, six pub-style accommodation rooms and a manager’s residence.
The pub holds a rare 24-hour licence, and three EGMs, which are currently leased out, until 2025, when the lessee will be able to either re-lease them or bring them back into the trade.
Freeholders on the site are a local farming family, who are looking for an experienced operator and offering a long, 25-year lease on the vacant hotel. Annual rent is around $170k, with increases in line with CPI and market review every five years.
Rent is subsidised by the lease on the three GMEs, currently generating $75k p.a.
“On offer is a long lease, ready for an aspiring operator to acquire a delightful hotel within a thriving regional hub known for its culture, heritage, and warm community spirit,” offers Bongiovanni.
“Opportunities like this do not come along often.”
