Hotelier David Kingston is closing his troubled Beachcomber Hotel, blaming local clubs and ‘changing times’ for it being unprofitable.
News Local reported that Kingston presented to Wyong Council last Wednesday, citing “a fundamental challenge with four large venues around us, including Wyong Leagues Club”.
He is proposing to convert the 1.1 Ha lakefront site into a mixed use development, demolishing the existing hotel to construct two buildings containing motel accommodation, residential apartments and retail.
Kingston purchased the business 18 years ago and has undertaken several reinvigorations, but the hotel’s entry, rise and sustained place on the OLGR list of violent venues has tainted the name of the Central Coast resort-style hotel.
“We have a fundamental challenge with four large venues around us, including Wyong Leagues Club, and everyone is aware that poker machines are very profitable,” Kingston told Council.
“We are in a very competitive market and community attitudes towards pubs has changed dramatically in recent times.
“Not a lot of people like the Beachcomber now and it has been very good to the community until recent years.”
In late 2014, the Beachcomber escalated from Tier 2 to Tier 1 on the OLGR list, after experiencing 19 incidents in the 12 months of FY14.
In April of last year, popular local footballed Greg Gibbins was stabbed to death during an altercation at a pizza shop, after the pair had been at the Beachcomber. While there was no suggestion the hotel was in any way to blame, its name saw extensive negative headlines.
The violent venues list issued last December saw the pub register 17 incidents in FY15, dropping it back again to Tier 2.
Amid cries the Central Coast is the new home for violence, local area commander Superintendent Daniel Sullivan says the story is not venues out of control.
“The industry is working with police,” Supt Sullivan said. “And for patrons, it’s about adults controlling their own behaviour.”
Wyong Council approved the rezoning application, and will forward a planning proposal to the Planning and Environment Department. If successful, Kingston’s Palace Leisure Group will likely lodge a development application.
Kingston closed Parramatta’s Roxy (Theatre) Hotel mid-last year, flagging a multi-storey development above and behind the historic Art-Deco building. The OLGR list of violent venues for FT14 also listed the Roxy, with 19 incidents, the same as the Beachcomber.