Eureka elegance through the roof
The owners of the Eureka Hotel are “thrilled” to be unveiling a new rooftop bar next week.
Owners Tom Ward and Ian Nichols, who also run
Murphy’s and Queen of the West in Geelong West, are transforming the former nightclub into a space for dining, cocktails, watching the footy and DJs.
Mr Ward said the rooftop bar was the second stage of the Little Malop St hotel’s renovations and would provide a different offering to the downstairs area which was relaunched last year.
He said using the upstairs area was the key to unlocking the whole venue.
“It’s a journey from downstairs to upstairs and takes it back to what the Eureka used to be,” he said.
Mr Nichols said it provided an opportunity to bring more people in when the downstairs dining area was full.
“Downstairs is for everyone and upstairs used to be for a younger crowd but now it is also for everyone,” he said.
“It used to be segregated so we’re bringing it all in together and when this is launched the renovations at the venue will continue and we will keep improving.”
The venue traded as a sports bar and nightclub for several decades under Stewie Harrison and then former mayor and photographer Darryn Lyons.
Mr Lyons shut the Eureka in 2017, selling the property to Geelong developer Bill Votsaris in 2018.
Mr Ward and Mr Nichols then purchased the venue in July last year and reopened it under its original name.
The Eureka Hotel’s history goes back 170 years.
It has hosted bands such as Midnight Oil, Cold Chisel and INXS in the 1970s and 80s before Tame Impala, Wolfmother and Birds of Tokyo more recently.
The launch of the rooftop bar begins at 4pm on Friday, May 17. It will then be open on Thursdays from 4pm to 10pm, Fridays from 12pm to 1am, Saturdays from 12pm to 2.30am and Sundays from 12pm to 10pm.