The Royal Hotel in Clifton Hill, which closed almost a decade ago and was nearly turned into apartments, is now being sold by private owners.
Set on a 736sqm corner, around four kilometres north-east of the Melbourne CBD, the three-storey pub was built in 1889.
The Gudic family bought the Royal from Carlton & United Breweries (CUB) in 1985, believed to have paid 5000 redeemable preference shares in the company, which had been taken over by Elders IXL two years prior, in 1983.
Ending 128 years of trade, the bar closed for business in 2017.
That year the family submitted plans for a five-storey apartment complex on the site, which attracted in the vicinity of 270 objections from outraged locals.
But in 2023 VCAT ruled against the proposal and the former watering hole has languished under an assortment of uses since.
There is currently a gin distillery occupying the ground level of the hotel, amid multiple trading areas, commercial kitchen and dining space, an all-weather outdoor area and a bottleshop, which is operated by the distiller.
On the upper two levels there are 29 rooms, enjoying regularly occupation.
The sale represents the first time the pub has been to market in roughly 40 years.
A campaign is being managed by Colliers’ Ben Baines and Lucas Soccio, ahead of an auction on 10 September with hopes of sale price of $5-6 million.
“Its combination of existing operations, accommodation and a prominent inner-north location provides a strong foundation for an incoming owner to build on the property’s legacy and consider its next chapter,” offered Baines.
