AN enlarged beer garden and playground and possibly tourist accommodation are among the new owner's plans for the Old Bar Tavern.
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The O'Hara and Co Hotel group has purchased the tavern.
The group also owns the Manning and Royal hotels in Taree and Wingham's Australian Hotel, although the sale of the Royal is currently in process.
"We settle at the Old Bar Tavern on February 19,'' group spokesman Jesse Overvliet said.
Mr Overvliet is currently the licensee of the Manning Hotel and is a business partner in the O'Hara Group.
The tavern is situated on the corner of Old Bar Road and Saltwater Road and has been operating since the 1980s. Mr Overvliet said the group is keen to make use of the 6.5 hectare property, which for the most part is now bush.
"We do have a lot of plans for the tav,'' he said.
"We want a big playground and a big beer garden. We're keen to talk to the locals and find out what they want.''
He added that building tourist accommodation on site is another consideration.
We definitely need to utilise more of the land out there and tap into the holiday makers.
- O'Hara and Co Hotel group spokesman Jesse Overvliet.
"We definitely need to utilise more of the land out there and tap into the holiday makers,'' Mr Overvliet said.
Mr Overvliet will oversee operations at the tavern, initially for six months.
"But they have competent staff there who we can train to run a venue the way we want,'' he said.
He wouldn't disclose how much the group paid for the tavern, which was previously owned by Kelly and Co Hotels.
Mr Overvliet confirmed the Royal Hotel in Taree has been sold, although this is pending the approval of the transfer of poker machines. The 10 machines now at the Royal will go to the Manning if approved.
It is understood the Royal has been sold to a company with connections to this area, although this has yet to be confirmed.
Mr Overvliet said there are no plans to bring the poker machines from the Australian Hotel to the Manning, as had been rumoured.
"The Australian Hotel will remain as is,'' he said.
Mr Overvliet said major renovations at the Manning Hotel start in February.
"We'll look at the bar area first and then later in the year we'll knock down the old accommodation that is no longer used to make a big playground and beer garden,'' he said.
The O'Hara Group purchased the Manning from the estate of long-term owner Ray Bailey, his family and business partners about 18 months ago. According to the Financial Review the selling price was $20 million.
