After months of bartering and a massive public campaign to buy and save it, Melburnian music legends Shane Hilton and Leanne Chance have bought Collingwood’s historic The Tote Hotel.
Previously known as the Ivanhoe Hotel, the 1870-built pub was renamed The Tote in 1981.
Equipped with a late-night licence and capacity for up to 408 people, in the heart of Melbourne, it built an enviable reputation for live music, hosting countless local and international acts, emerging artists and garage wanna-bes in its grungy front bar.
Current and yet-to-be Australian legends have included Paul Kelly, Painters and Dockers, You Am I, Jet, Spiderbait, who have said The Tote was “vital” to their existence.
Regulation changes in 2010 redesignated the hotel as ‘high-risk’ and after a period closed it was bought by Jon Perring and Sam Crupi in 2011 for around $1 million.
The pair revived and sustained the live music legacy until the business was “financially crushed” by the COVID-19 shutdowns. They fought to regain stability before pronouncing they had “no petrol left in the tank” and listed the freehold going concern in March for $6.65 million.
Hilton and Chance are owner-operators of Last Chance Rock & Roll Bar, in the Melbourne CBD.
Determined to save The Tote from possible redevelopment, they drove a Pozible campaign to raise money from investors to help buy the property. What followed was a record-breaking crowdfunding exercise that produced $3,097,749 in support for the cause.
Adding this to their own savings and lines of credit was still shy of the total, but the new owners say everyone involved wanted the Tote to stay a live music venue and after months of negotiations a deal was done.
“The fact that we got there is an amazing testament to the Melbourne and wider Australian music community that they made it happen. We’re just thrilled,” Hilton told the ABC.
The vendors issued a statement expressing their relief that the sale was to people who would preserve its 42-year history of music.
“They will bring fresh energy and a new vision to the Tote, which is needed for it to continue to be the beacon of local rock’n’roll — the culture that we all love,” said Perring.
In another historic aspect to the sale, Hilton and Chance are creating a legal trust foundation that will eventually own The Tote outright and be mandated to protect its institutional legacy for future generations.
“Preserving the past to protect the future,” explains Hilton, who has also committed to having the name of every one of the 1,600 campaign donors tattooed on his body. To date around 70 names have been completed.
The new owners take the reins at the end of October, in time for a Halloween celebration.
“We’re really looking forward to doing great things there.”
