HOTEL’S REVAMP POWERS AHEAD

STAGE one of the Seaview Hotel’s $8 million refurbishment comprising of the new drive-through and bottle shop with adjoining carpark will open on June 5.

Stage two of the project will then start, which will see the existing drive-through demolished to make way for a new gaming room and more parking.

Taking advantage of the COVID-19 restrictions, work will also start on stage four B to revamp the venue’s beer garden.

The hotel’s general manager, Jason Schell, said work on the beer garden had not been planned to begin until later in the year but the virus restrictions allowed them to start construction work sooner.

“We are going to take advantage of that and do the beer garden from start to finish and that will be fully reopened in August,” Mr Schell said.

“We are getting rid of the bench seating, there will be a new stage area, new pool table area, new smoking area, everything is new. “It’s going to look amazing.” Mr Schell said a main feature of the new beer garden was that threequarters of it would be under cover.

Currently the hotel was only operating its bottle shop but Mr Schell said with the easing of COVID-19 restrictions they planned to reopen the restaurant for limited numbers from July 10.

Work on the refit to the beachfront hotel began in February and is not due to be completed until March next year.

“It’s still a long g way. I don’t think k the whole building g project is scheduled d to be finished until il March or April il

lly next year so we still have a long way ahead of us,” Mr r Schell said.

“But to get that beer garden back is going to be exciting and the last stage e will be that front bar, r, which is going to be b big for us.”

He said the new bar would be the perfect place to eat a steak sandwich while catching the ocean breeze through the large renovated windows at the front of the hotel.

“I think we already are a top venue but it will be an even better one. I think the old girl has been a little tired for a long time so to smarten her up is very exciting.

“I am very fortunate to be in this position to see this transition through to its brand new stage.”