Taphouse Group invests $17m into Port Macquarie

By Vanessa Cavasinni, editor Australian Hotelier

Taphouse Group is redeveloping both a pub and resort in Port Macquarie in 2017.

The group, which owns nine coastal venues between Port Macquarie on the north coast of new South Wales and Coolangatta on Queensland’s Gold Coast, will focus on redeveloping the Tacking Point Tavern and Sails Resort in 2017. Both venues are in Port Macquarie.

A major redevelopment of the Tacking Point Tavern has been on the cards since Taphouse Group purchased the pub in 2015, with the group intending to make the pub more family-friendly. The works – which began in late January – will be completed in two stages, with all bar areas, the beer garden, gaming area and bottle shop to be completed by July. The new-look bistro and large children’s play area are expected to be completed by November.

Works at Sails Resort include the addition of a third storey, restaurant, bar and function centre, along with an update to the lobby area, and are expected to be complete by November also.

Angus Southwell, general manager of Taphouse Group, told TheShout that the renovation of Tacking Point Tavern was needed to bring the venue in line with other offerings within the group.

“We always saw it as a great hospitality asset that was underutilised in its previous format, and we saw great opportunity in that and in the Port Macquarie region as is evident by our investment levels currently.

“We see this redevelopment as in line with our current offerings, particularly Kingscliff Beach Hotel and to a lesser extent the Chinderah Tavern. We feel we can develop the Tacking Point Tavern to be another part or our network of quality, family-friendly venues.”

Tacking Point Tavern and Sails Resort are just two of six venues that Taphouse Group own in the area, with Port Macquarie Hotel, The Beach House, Town Green Inn and Rydges Port Macquarie also owned by the group.

 “They all have different markets that they respond to. Obviously we have some 230 accommodation rooms under offer in town right now, and Sails Resort by virtue of its title is a resort-style venue. All of our offerings are different by nature but still looking to keep that core element of being family-friendly and local,” explained Southwell.

“Tacking Point Tavern is significantly removed from our other assets in town, which are centred around the Town Green space or on the river space. Tacking Point Tavern is certainly a digression from that style of venue but it’s really the only hospitality offering out at the Tacking Point area. It’s really just about having a quality offering for the locals.”

Both Tacking Point Tavern and Sails Resort will remain open throughout the renovations.