Hotelier Glenn Piper has acquired Newcastle’s iconic Merewether Beach Hotel, the expansive multi-level corner pub that sits on an 1850sqm site. A Newcastle institution for more than a century, the Beach Hotel is located a stone’s throw from the shoreline and boasts uninterrupted, panoramic views of the ocean.
Mr Piper has partnered with a small syndicate of investors, many of whom are locals, to make the purchase and is committed to revitalising ‘The Beaches’ with the community and Australian surf culture firmly at its heart.
Mr Piper said: “Merewether Beach Hotel is a truly magnificent property, with one of the best pub views in the country. It has been part of the community since the 1880s, so I feel humbled and excited by this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take it on.
“I have spent a lot of time in the area over the years. As a kid, I would always travel up on the weekend to surf with my Dad and mates at Merewether. My family who live in Newcastle were actually the ones who told me the pub was on the market. They will be coming on board as investors which makes the sale even more special.”
Mr Piper recently purchased and then renovated the Harbord Hotel. He also recently took on the leasehold of Q Station, which sits on 30 hectares on the headland on Sydney’s northern beaches.
He will receive the keys to Merewether Beach Hotel in July and it will trade as normal for the foreseeable future. Like Harbord and Q Station, he will spend time in the venue before finalising refurbishment plans.
