High-profile publican Paddy Coughlan has picked up his second inner-west pub, bringing a Lady to Camperdown to append Lord Gladstone.
Located on Parramatta Road, just west of Missendon Road, the Hampshire – soon to be ‘Lady Hampshire’ – is in the heart of the Newtown-Camperdown precinct, central to Sydney University and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
The pub features a spacious public bar, full commercial kitchen, 15 EGM permits in a smoking solution gaming room, nine upstairs accommodation rooms, a 24-hour licence and a generous beer garden at the rear complete with projector.
Less than three kilometres from his Lord Gladstone, on Chippendale’s Regent Street, Coughlan told PubTIC he has his eye on the area.
“I’m a big fan of Camperdown – it’s a suburb on the up, same as Chippendale,” he said.
The Hampshire has been closed for trading for a couple of years, but general growth in the area and upcoming developments such as conversion of the former Camperdown Bowling Club into Camperdown Commons, makes Coughlan “happy to be there”.
Taking the keys last week, he is already neck-deep in a re-work of the pub to better suit his plans for the business, expected to reopen in time for the summer season.
“We’re going to have live music, and plenty of Young Henrys on tap, and build a custom smoker to barbeque meats in the beer garden.
“We’ll try to do the little things right, which is what that pub’s never had.”
The Hampshire was marketed for vendor Michael Raad by Ray White’s Blake Edwards, who has found interest in these lease operations in line with the overall market buoyancy.
“This is the second hotel in as many months that we have leased out along Parramatta Road,” reiterated Edwards.
“It’s further evidence that suburban venues with late licences are in high demand as Sydney’s night life shifts its focus from traditionally strong markets such as King Cross and the City.”
Coughlan says his soon-to-be Lady Hampshire is the kind of pub that suits the plans of his We Are Bourke St group, and revealed he is currently looking at another freehold and another leasehold in the area.
“We only want to buy when we can see upside in the deal given our skill set,” he notes of his lack of disposition to leaseholders or bricks and mortar.
“The Hampshire’s been closed a couple of years – it will be good to get it open again and start engaging with the community. I love the inner-city, and I’m happy to have another inner-city pub.”
