Pub owners keen to develop vacant parcel of land behind historic hotel

A vacant parcel of land behind the hotel looms as the spot for building, which will feature ground floor carparking and either two or three levels of accommodation.

General Manager Nelson Kelly said the plans would complement the current accommodation available at the hotel.

“Our plan is to build a more up-market style of accommodation compared to the pub-style rooms we currently have,” Mr Kelly said.

“But we’ll be keeping those pub rooms as well, because we’ve been doing work to upgrade that area as well.

“We’re not overly advanced with the planning but we’ve had some engineering types look at it, and had a couple of concept drawings done as well. We’re not looking at getting anything done until next year.

“The plan is to probably have about 25 apartments, and we think it is something that could appeal to visiting lawyers or barristers, or people who arrive in to town via the trains or buses and want somewhere close to stay.”

The idea for the development came after another hotel owned by the Castlereagh’s owners experienced great growth from its own on-site accommodation.

And rather than be spooked by recently announced plans for apartment developments in the CBD area, Mr Kelly said he believed the other plans are good for the city.

“The people doing those projects are smarter than me, so if they think it will work then it probably gives me more confidence ours can work as well,” he said.

“A pub we have at Parkes had success with similar accommodation, and that was behind the idea because originally we’d looked at maybe putting in a kids playground or a bigger food area but those things have been done already in Dubbo.”