Having closed almost a year ago for a major renovation, Lewis Land Group’s Camden Valley Inn is set to open its doors to patrons in the next week or so.
The sprawling outer Sydney pub closed its doors in November 2018 to overhaul the venue. Set on 2.1ha of land, the venue was originally built as a milk bar in 1939 to service the area, before receiving a tavern license in 1989 and being transformed into the inn that has hardly changed in 30 years.
The $15 million revamp is the first it has had since Lewis Land Group purchased the venue in 2007. While the redevelopment has modernised the venue, many design aspects still pay homage to the traditional country feel that Camden Valley Inn has always been known for.
General Manager Kayla Kyling says the new design is the perfect blend of old and new.
“We are so excited to announce the reopening of the Camden Valley Inn. We’ve been watching the transformation from start to finish, and while there are several new modernised elements to the venue, we have no doubt it still has its rich, historic and community feel.”
Located less than an hour from Wollongong’s city centre, and 90 mins from Sydney’s CBD, Kyling believes the transformation of the venue will bring people in from all over Sydney, as well as tourists, to experience the excellence of a rural pub at the height of its offering.
“The new and improved Camden Valley Inn will be a one-stop shop for entertainment. Its revamped amenities still has its rich history intact which will be reminiscent of the original Camden Vale milk bar, but with a new modern flair.”
A boon for the community
The extensive venue has also created new jobs within hospitality in the Camden area.
“We’ve just concluded the process of hiring staff for the venue (approximately 100 staff members across kitchen roles, duty management, function staff, food and beverage attendants and marketing and event management), and we are pleased to say that 95 per cent of them are local to the Camden area,” said Brad Jenkins, head of leisure for Lewis Land Group.
“This is exciting for us as we are committed to the growth of the local economy.”
Jenkins is excited to unveil the newest phase of the Camden Valley Inn.
“Lewis Land Group is very proud of the modern revamp of the Camden Valley Inn. We’ve taken care to ensure the original Inn’s old school country charm stays in tact while providing a new school, modernised twist. With a brand new dining area, a cafe, a pizzeria, accommodation, tab and gaming facilities, a brand new beer garden, covered terrace and private and semi-private function spaces, we’re sure patrons will be just as excited about the refreshed venue as we are.”
The opening of Camden Valley Inn caps off a busy twelve months for Lewis Land Group, which also recently opened the Mercure Rouse Hill – a joint venture with Accor – within The Fiddler’s entertainment precinct.