Following the closure of the Tonsley Hotel, Hurley Hotel Group has launched a pop-up, Tonsorama, at the nearby Panorama Hotel site.
The Tonsley Hotel, located 20 minutes south of Adelaide’s CBD, was recently closed and demolished to make way for the extension of the North-South highway. Hurley Hotel Group marketing manager Nikki Pridham explained that the Tonsley Hotel has been a meeting place for its local community for decades, first opening in 1966 to cater to workers at the Chrysler manufacturing plant.
“The venue was built under the South Australian Brewing Company in response to a surge in demand for pubs around Chrysler’s old Tonsley Park assembly plant, which opened just two years earlier. Over the years, the Tonsley has become a cornerstone of the community,” she said.
In the period between the demolition of the Tonsley Hotel and the completion of the nearby Panorama Hotel, Hurley Hotel Group wanted to provide a space for the local community to continue to gather, leading to the Tonsorama pop-up.
“It has been a pleasure to see it well supported and we are still seeing all our regulars enjoying a cold beer and meal,” Pridham said.
Many aspects of the Tonsley Hotel have been integrated into the Tonsorama pop-up, with some planned to become part of the finished Panorama Hotel. Much of the Tonsley’s furniture has been repurposed, including the Mobile high-top tables and the bar. Additionally, the Panorama Cellars drive-through features Chrysler cars from the Tonsley’s Chrysler Bar, which Hurley Hotel Group hopes to transfer to the Panorama Hotel’s sports bar in the future. Finally, the staff, from management to the kitchen team, are all familiar faces from the Tonsley.
Additionally, Goldrush Gaming, a co-operative marketing group formed by Hurley Hotel Group and other South Australian venues, has also transferred its machines and staff to the new site.
Hurley Hotel Group has ambitious plans for the Panorama Hotel development, with construction for the second stage set to commence early this year and projected for completion in 2025. This stage will include a five-storey hotel, boasting 77 rooms, 26 serviced apartments, a rooftop bar, and function spaces on the fifth floor. Plans for the ground floor include a casual café, bar, restaurant, gaming room, and sports bar.