Melbourne’s landmark Clifton Hotel is for sale or lease through receivers and managers FTI Consulting, in the fallout from Jon Adgemis’ collapsed Public Hospitality Group.
Built 1868, the Clifton is a hospitality institution, dominating a high-profile corner of Kew Junction at 99 High Street. It includes multiple trading areas, with a corner bar, an open-plan kitchen and wood-fired pizza oven serving the main dining room and a private dining or boardroom space, an outdoor terrace and a few on-site parking spots.
The 643sqm site, zoned Commercial 1, enjoys over 55 metres of frontage across High St and Studley Park Rd.
There are two high-visibility digital LED billboards on the roof that have recently had lease terms extended to 2031, underpinning the operation with “significant annual rental income” set to increase to $384k pa in November.
A significant redevelopment was in consideration for the corner lot. Architectural plans have been prepared for a seven-level, 108-key hotel-style short-term accommodation facility above the pub.
Revised activity centre plans have settled on a final height of 12 levels for Kew Junction, amid a rapidly evolving precinct already seeing the nearby $520 million Kew Village project by Orchard Piper and the VicRoads site master plan to commence, slating around 500 new residential units.
The Kew pub is one of the three in Melbourne acquired by Adgemis as he amassed a total of 22 venues in NSW and Victoria, before a spectacular bankruptcy last October, leaving him reportedly owing $1.8 billion.
Public Hospitality Group paid $6.8 million for the Clifton in mid-2021, soon followed by The Vine At Collingwood, and the Saint Hotel in St Kilda, which sold at auction for $8.4 million late 2025 to Kokoda Group.
The Clifton was listed in August 2025, as a going concern. It’s believed vendor expectations of circa $8 million were achieved, but a sale did not manifest, ahead of the signage lease renewal.
It was later closed for maintenance, but has not reopened.
The prior campaign fielded offers from parties drawn to its prospects but preferring a lease solution, and now, given circumstances have changed, no price guidance has been provided as it is re-offered to market as either a freehold or leasehold.
“This prime opportunity to acquire a landmark freehold with existing hotel improvements within an area dominated by multi venue corporate owners and long-standing owner operators should not be missed,” suggests HTL Property’s Scott Callow, managing the campaign with colleague Dan Ryan.
Agents offer the asset represents “a rare proposition” for owner-operators, hotel groups and investors.
Sale or lease of the Clifton Hotel is via Expressions of Interest, closing Wednesday, 23 September.
