BLUE SKIES AHEAD FOR NEW VENUE
AFTER sitting empty for five years, the former site of the Blue Skies Hotel has a new lease on life.
It is hoped a new restaurant at the venue will help revitalise the Hobart waterfront, with Franklin Wharf restaurant and bar ready for business after years of planning.
The site is owned by Pub Banc, which runs popular Hobart venues Jack Greene Bar and Post Street Social. Pub Banc managing director Ian Vaughan said the build was a long time coming.
“This project has been in the pipeline for about five years, we’ve had various challenges with planning appeals and obviously Covid,” Mr Vaughan said.
“It’s been a massive build and a massive effort.”
He said the business would help bring life to an area hit hard by Covid.
“It complements not just Hobart in general but the waterfront area which has suffered over the last few years,” Mr Vaughan said.
“It reinvigorates the waterfront, every business on the waterfront will benefit.”
Stage two of the project is still under way at the former Observatory Bar site upstairs.
The venue will be transformed into a function centre and is due to open in about two months.