Overview
2023 is proving an eventful year for Brisbane's oldest-surviving CBD pub. In February, it was announced that The Victory Hotel was closing its doors, with ALH Hotels deciding not to renew its lease on the 168-year-old Edward Street venue. But now it's up, trading and pouring beers again — since mid-March, under new management and with big plans in its future.
Athena Group has inked a long-term lease on the site with owners Precision Group, and also revealed that it's giving the trusty spot a revamp. The Vic is heritage-listed thanks to its hefty history — it was first constructed in 1855, initially known as the Prince of Wales, and is a prime example of 19th-century corner hotels — and the facade will remain. But an interior makeover is in the works.
Right now, the inner-city hangout is still doing what it has long done: serving brews, tunes and food. You'll hear live tunes in the beer garden from Thursday across the weekend, while Wednesdays are all about karaoke.
And for a bite, there's classic pub fare — think: wings, steaks, lasagne, nachos, fish 'n' chips, burgers, schnitzels, salt and pepper calamari, and truffle mushroom arancini.
The redevelopment's budget will hit the multimillions, and a development application is expected to be lodged in 2024 after design and planning work has been finalised in conjunction with the Brisbane City Council. Beyond that, however, no specifics in terms of cost or exactly what'll be done to the site have been unveiled.
The Vic is no stranger to facelifts, though. This'll be one of many in its lifetime, including during the 1880s, 1920s–30s — when the venue's name was changed to the moniker Brisbane knows today — and then the 1950s as well. The beer garden area scored a makeover in the 1980s, with an awning added in 1995 and more changes to the outdoor space in the 2000s.
Top image: Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons.
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