AS Ballarat's pub and hotel market slowly gets back on its feet with the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, a number of high profile CBD buildings remain firmly on the market, ready to be snapped up as the city looks to the future.
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Four of Ballarat's most high profile pubs are still on the market - the Miners Tavern, the Bluestone, the building housing Piano Bar and the Unicorn Hotel - and remain available to the highest bidder.
Colliers International is handling the sale of all four of the historic buildings. Senior executive Charles Kennedy said now the COVID-19 restrictions are being slowly released, the opportunity existed for investors to take a look at history.
"There's a unique opportunity to snap up any of these," Mr Kennedy said.
"We've got the Miners Tavern (on Lydiard Street) on the market for $3 million to buy, the Unicorn (on Sturt Street) is on for $1,750,000, the property at 31 Sturt Street, which is where Piano Bar sits is on for $1.5 million and the Bluestone (on Mair Street) we're negotiating with offers, but right now that's on for $3 million."
The venues including The Bluestone and Piano Bar are available for building purchase only as businesses currently hold leases, however the Miners Tavern and The Unicorn are open for sale and leasing purposes.
Mr Kennedy said he expects Ballarat's entertainment industry will look different once restrictions were eased.
"There will be some change in turnover in the entertainment scene," he said. "It's going to be very interesting with the opening of the new cocktail bar in Camp Street which was announced just before COVID-19 struck.
There's a unique opportunity to snap up any of these.
- Charles Kennedy, Colliers International
"You've also got the North Star ready to go, that's been completely renovated.
"I think you'll find once we can get back to some sort of normality those venues with larger spaces will probably provide the best opportunities."
Mr Kennedy said prior to COVID-19, 2020 was looming as a strong year in the commercial and industrial sector.
"The amount of activity was going well in the commercial industry until it all changed, but what we have noticed is that the industrial sector has remained quite busy in terms of sales and leases," he said.
"It's been all over the city, we've sold a lot of shedding in the Icon Estate in Delacombe, there's been continued activity in Wendouree as well.
"But this is unlike the office sector, where only now we're staring to field enquiries for leasing of shops in the CBD.
"It's slowly getting back to normal in terms of volume of activity, but the opportunities are very much there now."
Recent sales include The Pub With Two Names, which expects to open within six weeks and the recent record sale of Craig's Royal Hotel for $13 million.
And for those keen to try a new pub out, Christine Molloy, who transformed Creswick's Farmers Arms Hotel and has taken over the Pub With Two Names, says "It's going to be a pub, and that's my main focus, but with some really good food."
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