Historic hotel to be brought back to life
SOUTH Townsville’s Republic Hotel will stay a pub and that’s by popular demand.
But as to its name – it was previously called the Empire – that could still be a matter of public debate.
“I don’t have a view either way,” the new owner of the historic hotel, Brodie Jankovic, said on Thursday. “As long as it’s got cold beer, I don’t care what it’s called.”
Mr Jankovic bought the hotel, which has long been boarded shut, a few months ago.
As it languished, he said it had pained him to see it slowly fall apart. Now, with tradies and others cleaning up the property and replacing what can’t be repaired, it is being brought back to a condition where it can be reborn.
Mr Jankovic said literally hundreds of people passing by the Mcilwraith St property had expressed the view to him and others that they hoped the pub would reopen.
“We have made the decision. We are going forward keeping it as a pub and not changing the use. We are trying to keep it as similar as it
once was, as possible,” Mr Jankovic said.
“It’s seen that much community feedback, it makes sense that it stays as it is.”
He has also fielded inquiries from several potential operators and was “in talks with people” but said that nothing had been signed.
Mr Jankovic said they were replacing anything that could not be repaired and getting everything cleaned up and safe again.
It was going fine but timber costs were expensive, he said. Demand brought on by home building incentives and
supply disruptions caused by Covid-19 have delivered big increases in material and labour costs.
“We’re looking to have it done before the wet season. We’re taking it day by day at the moment,” Mr Jankovic said.
But he said the big response from people to its restoration had given them the confidence to continue with their plans.
The hotel was previously known as the Empire before it was renamed the Republic in the lead up to the unsuccessful referendum to remove the
Queen as Australia’s head of state in 1999.
The two-storey brick pub is a twin to the nearby Commonwealth Hotel, built in the same year – 1901 – and designed by the same architect firm – Tunbridge, Tunbridge and Lynch.
According to Townsville City Council’s heritage trail, the hotel, as reflected in its relatively simple federation style design, was built to cater to the needs of the suburb’s working class people.
With the right operators, it’s hoped it can be made to work again.