One of Kilmore’s oldest pubs is set to reopen as a modern dining experience that honours its storied and legendary past.
The Red Lion Inn, which dates back to 1856, will soon open as the Red Lion Hotel under the management of local hospitality venue owner Dean May.
Motivated to restore a building of character and create a space that will benefit both the community and its future, Mr May and his team began renovating the pub earlier this year—almost five years since it last closed, and six months after its famous lion statue was removed following a Mitchell Shire Council (MSC) order that deemed it a public safety risk.
“We believed that Kilmore was in dire need of a venue that retained character,” Mr May said.
“[Re-opening the pub] was an opportunity for us to … open a venue that we could have as our future asset … and provide a meaningful opportunity for employment and growth to locals, as well as bringing back a venue that has been closed for a very long period of time and is rich in history.
“Kilmore has an opportunity to be special, and we want the opportunity to highlight that to locals and travellers of the area.”
Acknowledging the pub’s almost 170-year-long history, Mr May noted that many of the planning and design decisions had been made in respect of its long-standing heritage.
“We know a number of points of history about the venue as we attended a historical society meeting regarding the property,” he said.
“The Noonans’ had the pub in its heyday, and we have incorporated bistro names such as the Safari Room … to incorporate previous history of the site.
“Mini landscaping works will be done to provide greenery but [also] to ensure the heritage building is the highlight.”
One of the latest additions to the pub—the installation of a chain fence in the adjacent carpark—was quickly noticed by locals, with some believing the fence to be encroaching on council-owned land.
However, as pointed out by MSC Chief Executive Brett Luxford, while council is responsible for maintaining both Melbourne Street and John Hammond Place in Kilmore, the position of the fence remained within its boundary.
“John Hammond Place begins at the intersection with Melbourne Street and ends at the pedestrian crossing entering the Red Lion carpark,” he said.
THE REMAINS OF AN ICON: The Red Lion was ordered to be removed by council last year.
“However, it is important to note that the fence is not located on John Hammond Place. The fence is located on private land owned by the Red Lion.”
Mr May hoped that the new fence would allow older members of the community and staff to access the pub safely, preventing the need to cross the main street.
“Kilmore has an elderly population of 33 per cent and we want to be able to ensure that our venue can be accessed by these parties [and] ensure they are not walking through major arterial roads, [reducing] harm during peak times in the area,” he said.
“It has also been done to accommodate safety measures with late night trade as the area is monitored constantly by staff and CCTV.”
Though an official opening date is yet to be announced, Mr May said he and the team were looking forward to finally opening their doors to the public.
“The team is feeling confident and ready to be able to provide a great service,” he said.
“By providing food from a number of different waves, from traditional … to modern, we are hoping to achieve a dining experience like no other.”
