Shortlisted for two awards and doubling its guest accommodation capacity, Bermagui's iconic pub is on a roll.
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The Australian Hotels Association NSW has shortlisted the Bermagui Beach Hotel for its best deluxe pub accommodation and best regional casual dining (southern) award categories.
It is quite an accomplishment for Yannis Gantner and Luke Redmond who took over the pub in August 2017.
The O'Shea family ran the pub from 1921 until 1988.
Then a series of owners held it for shorter periods and "it didn't get much love", Mr Redmond said.
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Invested in accommodation and dining
With the help of local tradies "who make these things happen", they refurbished the nine guest suites in October 2021 and "we have just taken over the Beachview Motel next door," Mr Redmond said.
"It will be a different style, fun and exciting, with pops of colour.
"It has another nine rooms so by Christmas we will have 18 rooms of a very high standard and quality," he said.
The kitchen, which started with two chefs and 11 casual staff, now has seven chefs and they hope to add another two or three.
"There will be 50 staff by Christmas and half of them will be full-time positions," Mr Gantner said.
The aim is to dazzle every customer through the door so they leave thinking "wow, that is not what I was expecting", he said.
Local flavour
Mr Redmond said the pub had evolved with what locals wanted.
"You couldn't change it overnight. We keep changing it and evolving," he said.
Patrons range in age from two to 92, Mr Gantner said.
"It is very inclusive, a very safe environment and our partners wanted it to be very female-friendly which it wasn't when we took it over," he said.
Mr Redmond said Bermagui's demography is changing and there are so many young business owners "having a go".
"There are a lot of people returning, like me after being in Sydney for 20 years."
Plus high-profile visitors like cricketer Mark Taylor, Gardening Australia host Costa Georgiadis and the Brumbies' coach are coming "so Bermagui is starting to be on the map", Mr Redmond said.
"We are seeing a huge increase in visitors and recurring visitors.
"The busy times are getting busier and the quiet times are also getting busy so there is no shutdown for a few months which is good for all the local businesses," Mr Redmond said.
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