First two Pub Leaders Summit Study Tour venues announced

The first two venues for the Pub Leaders Summit Study Tour have been announced, visiting venues undergoing major overhauls.

Australian Hotelier and the Pub Leaders Summit are proud to announce that the Study Tour – taking place on Tuesday 22 July – will be visiting two pubs currently undergoing major renovations: The Lord Stanley Hotel in East Brisbane; and the Grand View Hotel in Cleveland.

The Lord Stanley Hotel is currently undergoing a massive renovation by owners Hakfoort Group, and is expected to open in May, meaning Study Tour attendees will be getting a look through the venue soon after works are complete. The Grand View Hotel, owned by Kickon Group, is also undergoing a significant transformation. The Study Tour group will be getting an exclusive look at the venue before the venue opens, and as works are likely in their final stages.

“We’re so thrilled to be visiting the Lord Stanley Hotel and the Grand View Hotel,” stated Australian Hotelier managing editor Vanessa Cavasinni.

“Both are major projects that will add to and enhance the Brisbane pub scene, from some excellent operators. We thank them for taking the time to host us.”

Lord Stanley Hotel

Bought by the Hakfoort Group in 2022, the beloved Lord Stanley Hotel in East Brisbane has been closed since May 2024 as it undergoes a $15m renovation covering both major refurbishments and extensions. The transformative renovation will include one of Brisbane’s greenest beer gardens; a brand new state-of-the-art gaming room; a sports bar; restaurant; a 200” LED television wall; a kids playground; a function room; and new deck overlooking the lights of the beloved Gabba.

Albert Hakfoort, director of Hakfoort Group will be leading the Study Tour around the venue, and explained his aim with the renovation.

“I am looking forward to hosting the attendees that will be taking the time to make their way not just to Queensland but to the Lord Stanley hotel. I did not embark upon refurbishing this hotel to be the next ‘It’ venue but to make the Lord Stanley a venue that locals and the people in the immediate area can be proud of.

“For most of the past 30 years the Lord Stanley has been a bit of a mish-mash of offerings that have been bolted on and had parts removed without much consideration if it is really fit for purpose in this rapidly growing corner of Brisbane. It is my hope that the facilities that we have expanded and added to this hotel will be fit for purpose for the people and families in the immediate area and surrounds to make it again a venue that people are proud to call their local.”

Grand View Hotel

Queensland’s oldest licensed pub, the Grand View Hotel in Cleveland, is currently undergoing a major renovation by Kickon Group. While incorporating and celebrating heritage aspects of the 174-year-old building, the Grand View Hotel will boast a new kitchen equipped with a rotisserie oven and woodfired pizza oven; a purpose-built function space seating around 120 guests complete with its own bar and restrooms; plus a range of seating options on the grass overlooking the bay at the rear of the venue, along with a big screen for live sports. An undercover dining terrace, to connect the inside lounge bar to the outdoors, is also in the works. With works ongoing, Study Tour attendees will be getting a hard-hat look at the renovations in progress in what will be one of the most anticipated pub re-openings in SEQ.

Richard Harrison, Kickon Group’s SEQ operations manager and Grand View Hotel VM, said the team is chomping at the bit to reopen the pub.

“We can’t wait to open our doors again. Seeing the gap it left in our local community has only made us more excited to bring this place back to life. With such an incredible location and so much potential to unlock, the possibilities are endless. Right now, we’re deep in the chaos of renovations, a rebrand and everything that comes with re-opening, but we couldn’t be more eager to start pouring beers again!”

The third venue on the Study Tour will be announced at a later date. In the meantime, Study Tour tickets are currently available at a discounted Pre-Sale rate that ends 31 March.