Historic Scarborough pub reopens

" Scarborough Hotel licensee Phil Birchall enjoys a cold beer to celebrate the reopening of the historic pub after a 10-month closure.

By Paul Fahy

THE painstaking $1.8 million refurbishment of Scarborough Hotel is nearly complete.

The cliff-top pub opened its doors for the first time in 10 months last week.

Punters got their first look at the renovated bar and balcony, while children played in the newly landscaped garden area.

Licensee Phil Birchall said the major makeover was all but finished, though there were plans to build a children's playground at the rear of the premises.

"We're looking to transform the place into a really family-oriented hotel," Mr Birchall said.

Built in 1886, Wollongong's oldest licensed premises have been closed since February.

A consortium, including the owners of Cooney's Tavern in Wollongong took over the lease of the hotel and supervised the lengthy refurbishment.

Mr Birchall said white ants had overrun much of the historic pub's interior.

"There was a lot of work that had to be done to ensure the building survived for another 100 years," he said.

A noteworthy casualty of the renovations was the aging timber balcony at the rear of the hotel.

A new steel structure now stands in its place.

"The old balcony used to shake in the sea wind and was basically falling apart," Mr Birchall said.

The refurbishment has not escaped controversy.

Some local residents have raised fears about the noise and parking problems that may result from the increase in the pub's patronage.

A group of alarmed neighbours also attended a round-table conference at Wollongong City Council last week to discuss the hotel owners plan to build two thatched roof gazebos near the southern fence in the beer garden.

In response to residents' concerns, Mr Birchall said the pair of structures would be moved the northern end of the site and away from neighbouring houses.

The revamped Scarborough Hotel is tipped to be a significant drawcard for the new flood of tourists travelling over the Sea Cliff Bridge.

Last week's grand opening came almost a year after the controversial departure of former publican Jack Forbes.

Mr Forbes was ordered to vacate the hotel in November last year after landlords WIN Corporation elected not to renew his lease.

The two parties reached a settlement in January and Mr Forbes has since started afresh at Austinmer's Headlands Hotel.