ARK Hospitality Group has announced it is the new owner of the celebrated Paddington Ale House.
The sale represents the first time the Mount Hawthorn community landmark has changed hands in four decades.
ARK is an award-winning, family-owned group that has been developing pubs for over 45 years and counts a stable of six in Western Australia. It is currently in the process of restoring another historical WA site, the Bassendean Hotel, slated for reopening later this year.
Paddington Ale House is a handsome two-storey structure built around 1932 in the Interwar style, residing on a 1,266sqm block and licensed to hold 520 patrons. It was put to market late 2021.
Former AHA President Neil Randall was the long-time operator, until 2018, and the Hotel has been recipient of several Awards from the AHA WA, but for the past forty years the freehold title has been in the hands of the Swanson Family, mostly under lease.
Sources suggest the big pub found sale price approaching $10 million. Settlement is set to occur mid-April.
“The Paddo is the cornerstone hotel of Mount Hawthorn and we’re proud to take on the custodian role of a pub with such a rich history, dating back to the 1930s,” says ARK Group GM Adam Kapinkoff.
“Mount Hawthorn is a vibrant place to be, with an impressive line-up of restaurants, cafes and retail outlets. We’re looking forward to playing a role in this community and offering them a local everyone can enjoy.”
ARK report The Paddo will continue to trade as normal over the coming months, before plans to revitalise the 90-year-old landmark later this year, developing a local with a strong community, family and food focus.
Sale of the freehold going concern was negotiated by CBRE Hotels’ Ryan McGinnity.
“The Paddington Ale House is a truly iconic pub of Perth’s northern suburbs.
“Having lived in Mt Hawthorn, I know what this pub means to the locals and look forward to seeing what Ark Group do with the venue when they take over in a few weeks’ time.”
