Veteran Bathurst publican Ash Lyons has ventured south, adding to the portfolio Mudgee’s handsome Lawson Park Hotel and adjoining residence.
When the previously listed Lantern Hotel Group carried out its portfolio sell-down in 2016, sale of the LPH put it in the hands of a private investor, who has operated it under lease ever since.
In May this year tenant and landlord joined to offer up the re-stapled leasehold and freehold interests for the first time in years, along with the former Regent Theatre on Church St and a residence on Short Street, immediately west and south of the pub’s 1,830sqm corner lot.
Sales literature suggested scope for uplift across all trading departments, plus the property came with an approved Development Application to restore the heritage veranda.
Built in 1860, the LPH enjoys a prime position overlooking picturesque Lawson Park, in the heart of Mudgee’s thriving tourism and lifestyle precinct. It has multiple trading areas, offering lounge seating and a beer garden, and gaming area with 15 machines, and does strong food & bev trade, bolstered by the renowned Red Heifer Bistro and its reputation for old-style country hospitality.
The landmark two-storey hotel and house at 33 Short Street, which provides an additional 974sqm of land, have now sold to Ash Lyons’ Lion Majestic Hospitality Group.
Lyons has owned the Oxford Hotel in Bathurst for more than two decades, and recently unveiled a massive $12 million remodelling of the sprawling pub, taking years to complete and ushering in host of additions, including a second 600-seat restaurant.
Mudgee is consistently one of Australia’s most awarded tourism destinations, boasting accredited wineries, a vibrant events calendar and a thriving food scene amid relaxed country charm, just three to four hours from Sydney.
Lyons wants to settle in before discussing any plans, but praises that the LPH has “historically been a great hotel in a picturesque town.”
“The future of the hotel is about respect; respecting the town, the community, and the beautiful heritage nature of the building.”
The sale campaign through Manenti Quinlan reportedly generated a high level of local and interstate enquiry, and the Theatre was also sold, to local residents with a vision is to restore it as a live performance venue and cinema.
“The sale of the Lawson Park Hotel and adjoining properties marks a significant result for Mudgee’s hospitality and cultural landscape,” notes MQ’s Leonard Bongiovanni.
“The level of enquiry and competitive bidding highlights the strength of the regional hotel market and continued investor confidence in the sector.”
