The historic Border Inn, constructed during the pre-gold rush, has been sold to a local family.
The building was listed for auction on Friday, October 18 in Bacchus Marsh and has sold after being on the market for 39 days.
First National Rayner Real Estate director Marcus Rayner said he was pleased with the sale.
“There’s about three buyers, there is a dad, a daughter and a son. The main buyer is a local, they’ve got pub experience and one has good hospitality experience. The vendor’s expectations were in the middle of two million and they got right around that.”
The Border Inn is expected to open prior to Christmas, however the new owners want to make sure it meets the needs of the community, while preserving its history.
“The buyers think it’s a really good pub in a growing town and they think the town desperately needs accommodation, which it does. They feel that it’s pretty run down at the moment and needs a fair bit of work done to it, but they believe that they can do the work and improve it and turn it into a good business,” Mr Rayner said.
“Hopefully, it’s not just the same as all the other pubs, and the buyers are certainly not talking like it will be. It’s just nice in any town or place to have a little bit of variety. They’re trying to get away from the pot-in-the-parma type situation and more into, somewhere where you go for not fine dining, but more upmarket. It will be good to have, and it’s certainly badly needed at the moment.”
Afraa Kori
