Good Times Industries has doubled down in Armidale, adding the two-storey Grand Hotel to its local portfolio.
This year enjoying its centennial, the stately Grand occupies a generous corner lot of Rusden and Ohio streets, in the heart of town.
Since the end of the COVID-19 shutdown it has been operating on reduced hours, and reportedly “struggling”. The bistro has only been opening Wednesday to Saturday, and the front bar from 3pm every other day.
Mid-2019 Good Times Industries (GTI) bought the historic New England Hotel, about six blocks to the east.
Eyeing the opportunity for scale in the town of over 20,000 people, GTI has secured the lease on the Grand Hotel, settling early February through Manenti Quinlan, in conjunction with Dan Maley of Gilchrist Business Brokers.
GTI director Brett Neilson says they see plenty of blue sky at the old pub, starting with a refresh of what it has been.
“A re-branding of the tired logos and signage of the hotel, and re-opening seven days … bringing back the great food trade the hotel had pre-COVID. The existing chef, Lee Burraston, will be staying on.”
The new operators plan to make greater use of what they suggest is the “underutilised” sports bar and beer garden, and to give the gaming room, with its new smoking solution, at bit of a final polish.
They will also be putting ten craft beers on the menu, and adding pool tables in the tired TAB area as part of the sports bar makeover. Further renovation of the beer garden is slated for later in the year, after the warm weather.
GTI stands to benefit from the scale and complementary nature of the two hotels, which are not likely to be their last.
“Highly convenient having another pub down the road,” says Neilson.
“Very different business models for each hotel – the Newie being a tourist destination and large-format late night trader, the Grand being a smaller local haunt, with an excellent food offering.
“Once restrictions have lifted completely I feel that trade will increase further to push Good Times onto its next acquisition.”
