Western Sydney all-rounder the Doonside Hotel has been sold by Peter Walker to Jason Marlow, as he looks to bolster and further expand the family’s holdings.
Built 1962, on a sprawling 7,278sqm plot within the Doonside retail and transport precinct, the large-format pub has an expansive trading footprint, incorporating public bar, TAB, kitchen and dining areas, gaming room with 26 EGMs, beer garden, accommodation rooms and a drive-through bottleshop, along with 270-degree parking and a 4am hotel licence.
Roughly 34 kilometres west of the Sydney CBD, between regional centres Rooty Hill and Blacktown, the pub enjoys an exclusive catchment comprising residents of Doonside and the neighbouring suburbs of Woodcroft, Bungarribee and Arndell Park.
It reports annual revenue of around $8.7 million, through bar, bistro, gaming, wagering, retail liquor and the well-patronised accommodation.
Walker bought the Hotel from Redcape mid-2018 for $21 million. His portfolio also includes the nearby Adam’s Tavern in Blacktown and Quakers Inn in Quakers Hill, and it’s understood the family operation was looking to scale back.
Incoming at Doonside is the well-regarded Marlow Hotel Group, adding the property to their existing portfolio across Sydney.
Marlow is lifting the profile of his group and breaking in the next generation. In 2022 he bought the Mill Hotel from JDA Group, and more recently sold the Robin Hood in Orange.
“This strategic acquisition marks another milestone in our ongoing growth and investment strategy, reinforcing our commitment to expanding our presence across key suburban markets in NSW,” he says.
“The Doonside Hotel has long served as a cornerstone of its local community, and we are excited to build on its strong legacy by delivering the high standards of hospitality, service, and community engagement that define the Marlow Hotel Group.”
The off-market transaction was through HTL Property’s Dan Dragicevich and Sam Handy, who stayed tight-lipped on the sale price. HTL claim the most recent pub sales in Blacktown LGA, such as Redcape’s Eastern Creek Tavern in Huntingwood in 2023 and the Town Tavern in Blacktown in 2024, positioning them well to advise on the appeal of the lucrative and growing LGA.
“The Doonside Hotel presents various strategic investment fundamentals that appeal to experienced operators such as the Marlow Hotel Group, who themselves have a track record of creating well rounded hospitality venues that cater to all demographics,” offers Dragicevich.
