By Vanessa Cavasinni, editor Australian Hotelier
Adelaide’s Oxford Hotel has been revamped by its new owners, husband and wife team Grant and Anastasia Murray, merging traditional pub favourites with artistic flair.
The Murrays have long held a deep love of art, live music and creative expression, and wanted to infuse their passions into the North Adelaide hotel, when they took over in July 2015. They began adding murals to the walls at the end of last year, and a full redevelopment of the pub is planned to begin in the next 12-18 months.
“My wife and I have travelled all around the world, and the first places we visit are all the art galleries – big, small, old or new, modern or left-of-centre. Experiencing art is a lifestyle for us, and we want to share this with our patrons,” says Grant.
“We value good food, good art and good company, and our goal is to bring this together in one incredible space. We want the Oxford Hotel to make a statement, ignite the imagination, provoke thought and inspire the soul.”
The revamped hotel will also focus on food, with new head chef Symon Conway-Lyden putting together a fresh menu that reflects the owners’ passion.
“The new menu will be creative, moving towards a more organic and sustainable approach, [with] inclusions of unique vegetarian and vegan dishes, creating a diverse range of meals to tantalise all taste buds,” Conway-Lyden states.
Besides an artistic space and great food, the Murrays will also be introducing some events as part of the Oxford Hotel’s new offering.
“Alongside the new look and feel we will be introducing some exciting initiatives in the coming weeks including ‘ArtSmash,’ live music from local acts that are true artists, and wine tastings, with more to be announced,” states Grant.
The owners intend to make the space a comfortable and welcoming space for all Adelaide locals.