Iconic pub known for its live music scene is up for sale just four months after reopening
- Iconic live music venue about to be sold
- Lansdowne Hotel to receive $25 million offer
One of Sydney’s most iconic and beloved pubs has been put up for sale after being temporarily closed twice in the last decade.
The Lansdowne Hotel in Chippendale, Sydney has been a staple live music venue since it opened in the 1930s and a feature of the local rock ‘n’ roll scene.
The pub provided an important springboard for up-and-coming musicians to build up a fan base in an established venue.
However, the owners of the property are passing the torch with the place being put up for sale by HTL Property and the pub is expected to fetch over $25 million.
The sale adds to the tumultuous past of the venue which has changed hands multiple times and closed twice, with the pub only reopening in March this year.
One of Sydney’s most iconic music venues, the Lansdowne Hotel (pictured), is up for sale and is expected to receive an offer of more than $25 million for the four-story property.
After operating continuously since the 1930s, the pub was first closed in 2015 after succumbing to lockout laws, which prohibited patrons from entering the premises after 1:30am.
It would then sit dormant for two years before being reopened by Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham, the couple behind the popular Mary’s Burgers in Newtown and The Unicorn in Paddington.
Smyth and Graham work under the banner of Mary’s Group, who built the multi-level pub that now houses a restaurant, live music venue and rooftop bar.
The reopening of the pub was presided over by a myriad of musicians from famous Australian bands, including The Rubens, Preatures, Delta Riggs and Sticky Fingers, all of whom performed together as a “super band” on the opening night.
“This is a really important venue in Sydney,” Rule told Broadsheet at the time.
“It’s been reopened by two guys from Sydney who have done a great job resurrecting live music, and the local music industry is really excited.”
Mary’s group ordered the last few drinks in February 2022 after the property’s owners refused to renew their lease.
The pub was set to undergo renovations after the owners of the Oxford Art Factory, one of Sydney’s other top-tier music venues, bought out the lease and reopened in March this year.
While the venue has long been a major pub for up-and-coming artists to play in front of larger crowds, it also has a larger “scale” of development if you tweak your business plan.
The property listing features numerous “investment highlights,” including the location’s proximity to the city and a liquor license that allows alcohol sales until 5 a.m.
While the venue has remained a cornerstone of the Sydney music scene, HTL director Sam Handy said the pub would be more successful if it changed its operating tactics.
“While institutionally popular as a live entertainment venue, The Lansdowne Hotel’s unmistakable scale lends itself well to regular and additional activation of many other levels,” he said. Public.
“In terms of its location, business footprint, and customer capacity, the business presents a compelling opportunity to activate a food and beverage proposition that best resonates with the surrounding demographics.
