Historia pub at heart of Woolworths’ development on market

: Decades of Nedlands history is about to get a new lease on life as an icon of the local community hits the market.

The heritage-listed Captain Stirling pub in Nedlands, Western Australia, is seeking a new operator to revitalise the existing establishment, which has been leased to ALH for the last 25 years.

An EOI (expression of interest) campaign is underway in search of an ideal operator for this unique offering. The Captain Stirling Hotel is the heart and soul of the Nedlands town centre and a much loved facility within the local community.

Constructed in 1935 for Senator Bertie Johnston, who had a colourful history, and designed by architects George Herbert Parry and Marshall Clifton, the hotel will form part of the wider Woolworths’ town centre development “Nedlands Square” that was recently approved in February 2023.

The Captain Stirling Pub will have its lease end when construction of the new town centre is anticipated to commence at the end of 2023. The new development will transform the site and will comprise a modern Woolworths supermarket and BWS plus a number of fitness, medical, food & dining and specialty tenancies. We expect 300 jobs to be created during construction of the development with around 150 ongoing once its completed in 2025.

The original hotel is a two-storey structure complete with a sports bar, accommodation and restaurant. In 1997 it was assessed for entry into the National Estate by the Australian Heritage Commission and The National Trust also recommended the hotel for classification the year after.

Expressions of Interest close on 15 July. Interested parties are asked to contact Pieter Haverhoek from Inside:Out Retail Property.

Comments from Woolworths National Manager of Project Leasing, David Warren:

It’s a very exciting opportunity to be bringing this historical and iconic piece of history in Nedlands to the market as a leasing opportunity.

The Captain Stirling Hotel is a well-known establishment and as a heritage-listing, presents its own distinct character.

It’s rare for these types of venues to become available and, coupled with an upcoming revitalisation of the wider site, the new venue should go from strength to strength.

Comments from Managing Director of Inside:Out Retail Property, Pieter Haverhoek:

Nedlands Square is set to become an iconic shopping centre in the golden triangle, being some of Perth’s most affluent suburbs that bring with it a unique customer opportunity.

The centre will be a formidable design over 3 levels including casual dining restaurants, cafes, fresh food, services, health and wellness.

We see the leasing of the pub as a key anchor tenant on which to base the curation of tenants for the project. The pub needs to be redeveloped to meet the centre development and the customer.

As such we welcome all experienced hoteliers to provide their design and pitch to capture this opportunity. Initial discussions with WA publicans has provided some amazing examples of modern food and beverage destinations within retail precincts.

We have drawn inspiration from these venues across Perth and are excited to create a landmark hotel on this site, in this project

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