Grand Hotel - Cairns, 1930 - 1959

News of the day

Townsville Daily Bulletin

Thursday 6 February 1941

Cairns Notes

[...] Michael Patrick Staunton, licensee of the Grand Hotel, was charged in the Court of Petty Sessions yesterday before Mr. T. E. Dwyer, P.M., that he kept his premises open for the sale of liquor during prohibited hours on Sunday, November 24. Constable C. J. Smith gave evidence stating that on Sunday November 24, in company with Constable T. Lewis he saw a man walking out of the lane at the rear of the hotel carrying a parcel wrapped in newspaper. On examination of the bottle he found that there was a label on it bearing the words "Cairns Draught Beer, specially bottled by M. P. Staunton, Grand Hotel." Witness then had a conversation with Mrs. Staunton, wife of the licensee. She said that she supplied the bottle of beer to a man named Spowart half an hour previous, but her husband did not know anything about it. She gave it to Spowart in the kitchen from the ice chest. [...] The Magistrate dismissed the complaint, adding that there was no evidence that the licensee had give authority to sell liquor.

Background

CBRE Hotels Director Paul Fraser and CBRE Cairns Managing Director Danny Betros negotiated the sale of the landmark Cairns pub on behalf of private owners Runnico Pty Ltd.

Pelathon managed the hotel for 18 months under a lease agreement prior to exercising its option to buy the property outright.

Pelathon’s Managing Director Jaz Mooney said; “This is another prime example of an acquisition in a market where we believe there is a strong short, medium and long-term growth potential driven by a robust economy and a proactive local council.”

Established in 1926, the Grand Hotel is situated on a high profile, 4,060sqm site opposite the Cairns Central shopping centre.

The traditional, pub-style venue includes the well-known Croc Bar, featuring a carved crocodile bar top, in addition to 35 gaming machines and a casual lounge and dining area.

Mr Fraser said the site also offered 176 metres of frontage to three streets, a drive through bottle shop, six adjoining retail shops and a former service station now being used as a hire depot.

“The hotel has undergone a significant renovation, including the main bar, alfresco dining areas and an upgrade of the gaming room to accommodate increased machine numbers,” Mr Fraser said, noting that this had completed Stage 1 of Pelathon’s plans for the property.

Mr Betros noted that Stage 2 was now well underway, including a redevelopment of the adjoining sites.

“This will maximise the highest and best use of the total site, with plans currently underway for an exciting multi-use development in the near future,” Mr Betros said.

From The Hotel Conversation, April 12, 2019

 

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