Australian Venue Co (AVC) has recently re-opened two more of its pubs following further investment into major renovations.
Townsville’s Hotel Allen and Maroochydore’s The Sands Tavern have both received stunning glow-ups yet remain true to their roots as accessible community hubs.
Fully reimagined and restored, Hotel Allen’s pub and accommodation offerings were officially launched this week after being closed for twenty months.
Holding strong community ties for generations, the site first became a pub in 1876 and was renamed Hotel Allen in 1959.
It now boasts renovated accommodation, a landscaped pool area, retro arcade, family-friendly bistro, tropical beer garden and a dedicated sports bar – now fully equipped for all the big games, with a 2×7-metre LED screen wall and offering foosball and pool tables, while the bistro delivers generous serves of all the pub classics.
Its covered beer garden features picnic-style seating, tropical greenery, large-scale murals depicting local culture, and festoon lighting, along with a large, shaded playground. Inside customers can enjoy a retro arcade stocked with pinball machines, Space Invaders, Mortal Kombat and Pac-Man.
In celebration of the reopening, the pub will host a Locals Weekend from Friday, 5 June, featuring giveaways, family activities and live entertainment.
Friday night features media personality Sam Kekovich hosting Hotel Allen’s first Tradie Club, where tradie competitions such as “dirtiest ute in the car park” are held, along with a meat tray raffle and prize giveaways.
Saturday 6 June will offer giveaways and the live screening of Cowboys vs Dolphins, while Sunday focuses on the family with a live petting zoo, face painting and balloon artists.
Following the Locals Weekend, on 20 June Hotel Allen is celebrating the launch with $10,000 of weekly prize draws, ending in a gala event.
Venue manager Dale Novelli said the pub has hosted Townsville locals for over a century.
“Locals have a lot of memories tied to this place, so it was important that the renovation didn’t lose the character and easy-going feel people remember.
“This reopening is about bringing Hotel Allen back in a way that feels familiar but fresh,” he explained. “Whether people are coming in for sport, a family meal, a drink in the beer garden, a night out or a weekend stay, we want it to feel like a true local again.”
Meanwhile, The Sands Tavern in Maroochydore reopened last month following a complete revamp of the venue, with a new standout outdoor space. Its beer garden extends the venue yet remains comfortably air-conditioned and offers a large outdoor screen, playground and half basketball court.
Interiors embody a breezy, coastal feel, while the sports bar offers a 7-metre screen.
The Sands’ bistro serves generous portions of elevated pub food using quality ingredients, all in a relaxed atmosphere.
And The Sands similarly hosted a long Locals Weekend at the beginning of this month, celebrating with live music, kids’ entertainment and giveaways.
Going forward, both venues will have weekly offers including free pool, free kids’ meals, Tradie Club events, live music and more.
Both venues will also donate $1 from every parmy sold each Wednesday to a charity. Hotel Allen will be favour the Royal Flying Doctor Service, while The Sands will provide proceeds to Camp Quality.
Both venues are well established as community hubs – genuine local pubs built to maintain modern pub culture – and now equipped to serve the community spirit for the coming decades.
