The Morgans are divesting their destination pub in the NSW Central West, hanging the for sale sign at the Imperial Hotel Cowra to be closer to family.
Located in the heart of Cowra’s main commercial precinct, the Imperial Hotel opened in 1905, built by John Connolly for £4000. The original verandas of the Federation building spanning the first floor were demolished in 1955, but the front façade of the Imperial Hotel is today heritage-listed.
The spacious three-storey hotel has become the number one food destination in the area, popular with professionals, groups and sports clubs, families and the local community.
Above the public bar and bistro are eight well-presented hotel rooms, including three with ensuites, and a “very comfortable” manager’s residence.
Its 3,282sqm landholding provides potential for further development (STCA), with surplus space enough to construct a complementary structure, such as a 10-12-room motel.
Vendors on the sale are Richard and Justine Morgan, who have held the freehold going concern for around 12 years.
The couple have consistently invested significant capital into the venue, renovating it into a “distinctive and contemporary” hospitality offering.
But after more than a decade at the helm, the Morgans have decided to relocate to the Hunter Valley, to be closer to family.
Cowra is a city of more than 8k people, set on the banks of the Lachlan River around 310m above sea level and roughly 300 kilometres west of Sydney.
It is home to historic attractions including the former Prisoner of War camp, site of the largest prisoner of war breakout in Australia, and the commemorative Cowra Japanese Garden & Cultural Centre, which is the largest Japanese garden in the Southern Hemisphere. In March it hosts the International Festival of Understanding, celebrating different cultures each year, prompting local events and a parade through the town to celebrate the attending guest nation.
Its appeal as a regional tourism, lifestyle and retirement destination has triggered Cowra Council to announce plans for another 4,500 new homes.
Sale campaign on the Imperial is being conducted by Manenti Quinlan’s Jeremy Cusack and Leonard Bongiovanni, with asking price of $2.3 million.
“The hotel presentation is spot on,” notes Cusack.
“It has a sense of style and the décor is inviting and modern, and they are constantly upgrading and maintaining it.”
