The O’Hara Group’s Berkeley Hotel celebrated a milestone with the regulars last weekend as the suburban local reached its 60th anniversary.
Opening on 21 September 1964, the hotel has seen a lot of change over the decades. General manager and licensee Chris Scaddan decided to celebrate to hear some of the hotel’s history from the locals.
Owner Dan O’Hara set the mood when he opened the event, sharing his own stories of characters he had met over the past 17 years, to many laughs.
“There is an Irish hospitality saying that people walk in a customer and leave a friend, and I am proud to say there are so many friends here today,” he said.
Scadden spoke of the love everyone has for the pub, and the privilege the team felt at being part of the community.
“If you need a painter, a plumber, an electrician or handyman, you can find one at the pub,” Scadden said.
The microphone was then passed to the locals, where many stories were shared.
Wayne ‘Clarry’ Barnes runs the Berkeley Old Boys Rugby League, which is sponsored by the pub. He pointed to the effort Chris and the team made in creating the tight-knit community.
Another local, Graham Condran, pointed out how much they all care for and help each other, saying the hotel has become a place where people connect.
Doreen Pertovt talked about the changes she had seen over the years, from the time when she worked in the office for her uncle, who ran the pub.
Each of the 150 guests received a commemorative tee shirt as part of the celebration, accompanying food, drinks, cake and live music, with all involved declaring it an overwhelming success.
“The best part of the day was listening to all the stories,” recalled Scadden.
