After a dozen years in the top end, owner-operator Wayne Hornby is ready to call time at his popular South Townsville pub – just as the area is “about to boom”.
Former Brisbanite, Hornby moved to the northern capital – Australia’s 13th-largest city – back in 2005, purchasing the Bellevue Hotel, which he has run ever since.
Although the region is on the eve of a lot of new business and development and set to thrive in coming years, Hornby is looking to retirement and says once your mind is made up …
“We’ve got no ties in Townsville at the moment. We’ve been here nearly 13 years, and it is time.”
The Bellevue is around 1.5 kilometres from the Townsville CBD and “like the Balmain of Sydney”, says Hornby. Significantly, the pub is just 900 metres from the under-construction stadium, which will also bring a School of Excellence for the North Queensland Cowboys, and a new Hilton hotel.
Nearby Davidson Street will also soon see construction of 400 new apartments.
New local ‘entertainment precinct’ zoning has brought development opportunity to the Hotel site, allowing a structure up to four or five storeys high. This would significantly add to its existing views that of the new stadium, and water views of Magnetic Island and the cruise ship terminal.
There is currently no accommodation at the Hotel or in south Townsville, and plans for the area could see a steep rise in demand. As well as numerous new mine projects, Townsville has been cited for the Australian-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, whereby up to 14,000 Singaporean troops will train in the area up to 18 weeks per year, many bringing family and requiring accommodation.
The existing Hotel counts a public bar, commercial kitchen and dining area seating 70 pax, a large beer garden with stage, walk-in bottleshop, and gaming room with 15 EGMs not in smoking solution.
The Bellevue also has the area’s only UBET facility, with a brand new terminal scheduled to be installed later this month. The layout allows for single-person operation of the bar, bottleshop, UBET and Keno.
The Hotel site also includes a currently vacant retail premise that could be leased, and there is a residence behind the Hotel that could be purchased separately by any intendent developer.
“I’d love a local person to buy it – either hang on to it and put in accommodation, or knock the whole thing down and start again,” says Hornby.
“We’re in no hurry to sell. We’ll hang on ‘til we get a fair price.”
Resort Brokers Australia has been engaged to market the Hotel and opportunity, and report the business is a “solid year-on-year performer”.
“It’s a very popular pub,” says Resort Brokers’ Des Fagg. “It’s not heritage listed, and is in a great location.”
Further details on enquiry.
