Business partner publicans Frank Arangio and Pat Gurr have listed their expanded Royal Hotel in Wyong – one of the key regional centres on the central coast north of Sydney.
The Royal overlooks arterial road the Pacific Highway, on a substantial 3,537sqm lot close to Wyong Train Station and the town’s main commercial and retail precinct. Its extensive trading footprint incorporates multiple bar and dining areas plus commercial kitchen, gaming facilities with 15 machines (entitlements), 14 accommodation rooms – 10 with ensuites, and onsite parking.
After decades working with Lion, starting as a sales rep with Swan in the ’90s, Frank Arangio and his wife Marnie took the plunge into pub ownership in early 2017, partnering with industry stalwart and former AHA Vice President Pat Gurr to buy the Royal.
They had been seeking an operation within reach of Sydney and Arangio told PubTIC at the time it was a long-term investment and “the start of something really quite exciting”.
In the nearly 10 years since they have curated and invested in the hotel, executing three strategic expansions to licensed trading areas, most notably the River Deck at the rear, above the former beer garden.
The past three years to FY26 have seen “significant growth” across all departments and the business currently generates more than $150k in weekly revenue.
While year-on-year uplift since the renovation is already close to 25 per cent, further organic growth is anticipated, and a group would likely benefit from shared costs and resources.
Also, the large property, zoned predominantly E2 Commercial Centre, lends itself to a broad range of permissible uses.
Wyong serves as a hub for employment, commerce, healthcare and education in the northern central coast’s broader population of more than 345k residents, boasting direct connectivity to Sydney and Newcastle via the M1 and railway.
Significant public and private investment is shaping the region, as the Greater Warnervale growth corridor forecasts nearly 12k new dwellings and 35k additional residents, and Wyong Town Centre sees the fruits of the $488 million Pacific Highway upgrade.
Planning to relocate to Melbourne to be near Marnie’s family, the former Lion director is hoping to find his next pub challenge in Victoria.
Recent sales in the area have included the Thomas family selling the Entrance Social Club Hotel to Redcape for c$36 million in May, and pub king Arthur Laundy buying Harvest’s Woy Woy Hotel in April.
The freehold going concern of Wyong’s Royal is likely to fetch sale price in the mid-twenty millions.
An Expressions of Interest campaign closing 23 September is being conducted by HTL Property’s Dan Dragicevich, Blake Edwards and Andrew Jolliffe.
“The Central Coast is one of NSW’s best-performing non-metro hotel markets due to its macro fundamentals, population growth, and infrastructure investment and connectivity,” says Dragicevich.
“Large-format offerings in the region are traditionally tightly held and highly sought after.”
Agents note the “strong trajectory” of the food and beverage business following the recent capital works program and additional opportunity.
“The existing revenue profile is already particularly well-rounded, however we see further upside available across both the gaming and accommodation departments,” adds Jolliffe.
