Ray Reilly’s growing partnership operation has brought the mateship back to the Friend in Hand, by focusing on the appeal for locals and on old-fashioned hospitality.
The Friend In Hand (FIH) is one of Glebe’s oldest pubs, established 1857. For many years its most famous ‘regular’ was George, a sulphur-crested cockatoo who held court near the bar, often fed crackers by patrons.
Reilly had something of a personal attachment to the pub, being the location of “many a night with the lads back in the day” and the choice for his first date with his now wife, Sara.
Late last year Reilly Group purchased the freehold going concern.
A recognised institution and long-standing fixture in the backstreets of Glebe, it was closed for much needed renovations, reopening in May of this year.
The revised offering has retained its classic public bar, with popular outside seating on the street. The dining options have been expanded, and upstairs now boasts a space designed for functions and local gatherings, featuring live sports, pool tables and dart boards, amongst easily segmented areas.
George the Cockatoo has been rehomed into Reilly Group sister pub the White Cockatoo Hotel, in Petersham, but gaming was reinstalled at the FIH, although it is not a prominent part of the business.
Scott Harrington, who has worked at the group for a decade, says they are striving to be a part of the community, with regular event nights, for opportunity to help people make and build friendships in the bustling inner-west precinct.
“We consider the most important thing to be service and staff that get to know your name, and your beer, and make people feel at home,” says Harrington.
Even more recently, the group has reopened The Cricketer’s in Balmain under half owner and licensee Tommy Hall, after a $2.5 million renovation and reconfiguration bringing a brand-new gaming room and sports bar.
Ray Reilly says the Friend, which has been open again for about six months, is “tracking very well” and he is looking to nurture the business and create a new lease for Harrington to take over in the next 12 months.
Irish-born Harrington came to Australian in 2013 and after a year of backpacking found himself working with a crew in Marrickville who regularly patronised Reilly’s Henson. He had worked in pubs since he was 17 and run a bowling club back home, and when Ray decided to offer him a sponsorship to stay in Australia, he was “head over heels”.
Starting in back-of-house at The Henson, under Reilly’s mentorship, hard work and dedication saw him rise up the ranks to manage group operations. A key chapter, more than six years, was as licensee at the White Cockatoo, where he honed his expertise, overseeing all aspects of operations, building its reputation and boosting weekly trade from around 50 to $140k.
Looking to a similar plan for a community hub in Glebe, Harrington is taking cues from its history as a classic local that attracted everyone from grizzled long-term residents to young tradies, while seizing the opportunity to get a foothold courtesy of the Reilly Group philosophy.
“We genuinely care about our patrons and love a good chat,” he remarks. “We want everyone to feel comfortable. If we see them coming, we’ll pour their beer and have it ready on the bar.
“At the same time, I’m setting the stage to take on the lease for the venue, marking the next step in my evolution and partnership with the Reilly Group.”
