Having purchased the Eastern Suburbs icon last year, Warren Livingstone is the latest in a string of savvy owners to take these valuable assets to the next level.
Enjoying something of a renaissance in the past year, the Paddington/Waverley area has seen a spate of sales offerings enter the market by vendors that had largely held off until the right time. (continues below)
Heading up the other side of that coin, ambitious operators have snapped up these east-Sydney assets and tapped into the wider trend of the modern pub venue, with restaurant-class dining and more to offer across the board.
Re-opening just last weekend, Livingstone has incorporated a new sixty-seat dining room, an expansive, light-flooded public bar, and an amazing seven-metre Chesterfield bench seat covered in powder blue leather.
Livingstone told TheShout – Pub Sales that the decision to take on the historic 1857 venue was well considered, as he himself is part of the Waverley community.
“As a local resident I’ve watched the spate of local sales with interest. We purchased the Charing Cross in June 2013, but only took it over at the start of this year.
“It was about this time when the action started to heat up in the East, and with the low number of available hotels it makes sense that the value will continue to increase.
“I have lived around the corner for a decade, and as a local I wanted to create something that my family and friends from the neighbourhood could enjoy.
“I want the hotel to be casual and good value – geared toward people going a couple of times a week, rather than for a special occasion.”