The Henry Rous Tavern, located in the Northern NSW town of Ballina, has been acquired by publican Nathan Dawes, marking his second pub acquisition this month.
Occupying a 1,012 sqm block of land on Ballina’s main high street, the Henry Rous Tavern benefits from the strong tourism draw of nearby Byron Bay. The pub – founded in 1936 and named after sea captain Henry Rous – comprises a bar, bistro, gaming room with 15 gaming machine entitlements and off-street parking.
The pub was purchased by Dawes and his Gateway Hotel Group, who also acquired the Parkview Hotel earlier this month. Privately held for 14 years, the pub was acquired in a pre-auction sale, with its position in Alexandria’s growth corridor attracting strong buyer interest.
Speaking of his acquisition of the Henry Rous Tavern, Dawes commented: “I would like to thank the vendors for entrusting me as the new custodian of the Rous. Ballina is attractive to us because it is a thriving and growing coastal community, that is the physical gateway to the popular Byron Bay lifestyle region. We aim to be the cornerstone of the community and want to provide a traditional pub for local families and all hard working Australians.”
The off-market transaction was handled by HTL Property directors Blake Edwards and Xavier Plunkett, who highlighted an encouraging market environment.
“Stabilised interest rates, robust trade and strengthening valuations are stimulating buyer activity; and consequently, are delivering strong liquidity for those of our valuable clients seeking to divest their assets in this market,” says Edwards.