Local News
Iconic Great Northern Hotel sells Paul Bibby Byron Bay’s iconic Great Northern Hotel has been bought by two cashed-up Melbourne investors, with sources suggesting they’re paying around $80 million for the pub and a neighbouring accommodation venue. The sale has been formally reported by commercial real estate agents, JLL, and is part of a recent spate of major commercial purchases as interest in the town from outside investors reaches fever pitch. It is the end of an era for
The Northern, which has been in the hands of the Mooney family – who own a host of local venues including The Rails and the Bangalow Hotel – for more than 30 years. They declined to comment on the sale when contacted by The Echo. JLL, who were also the agents involved in the recent purchase of the Mercato Shopping Centre, said that the sale involved the purchase of the pub and the neighbouring 51-room Lanteen Lane Hotel. The buyers are Scott Didier, the founder and CEO
of Johns Lyng Group, and Scott Emery, founder of online lender MoneyMe. It is understood that the Didier family solely acquired the Lanteen Lane Hotel with his daughter Casey who lives in Byron with her family, who are set to run the accommodation venue’s day-to-day operations.
Beach Suites owners The pair have reportedly owned the Beach Suites – a luxury holiday apartment complex on Bay Street – for the past 30 years. JLL has been quoted as
saying that The Northern was the subject of 12 separate bids from investors and hoteliers following an ‘invitation-only tender process’. ‘While this sale represents the biggest pub transaction of 2021, we believe that the Byron Bay story has a long way to run with the new owners set to take a measured view on improving the exiting offering for the benefit of local residents and the circa four million visitors set to enjoy the pristine location each year,’ JLL Hotels Senior Vice President, Ben McDonald said.
Byron markets to move to Railway Park ▶ Continued from page 1 move is Paul Jones from the Butler Street Community Network who said that, at the very least, the relocation should be a trial rather than a permanent decision. ‘There’s a risk that it will loose its identity, sprawled around the centre of town,’ Mr Jones said of the market. ‘They do not necessarily result in an improvement to bricks and mortar.’
He also said that the contamination investigation did not preclude the return of the markets to Butler Street.
Decontaminated ‘The rail reserve itself has been decontaminated,’ he said. But Mayor Michael Lyon disagreed, describing the claim that the market could return to Butler Street as ‘incorrect assertion
number one’. ‘No, it’s not universally supported by market holders and it’s not universally supported by businesses, and I think it’s important that we note that’, Cr Lyon said. ‘If we do see negative impacts, I think it’s important that we revisit it. ‘But broadly, I am in favour of trialling this and seeing how it works. ‘We do have issues with
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parking management and traffic management, but I think it’s essential that we get off the beach [park].’ Councillors agreed with Cr Lyon’s position and voted unanimously in favour of the relocation. They asked staff to continue working with key stakeholders to address concerns raised through the detailed planning and Development Application process.
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