The iconic southside venue has been bought up by Australian Venue Co.
Australian Venue Co. – who are backed by a US private equity – have bought The Espy and they’re taking over in late September. As reported by Good Food they’re also buying up the Garden State Hotel in the CBD, the Bridge Hotel in Richmond and Terminus Hotel in Abbotsford and now run 211 pubs around Australia. The layout of the venue and the dining options won’t change though – restaurants Mya Tiger and Tippy Tay will remain, but the new owners will be taking over the booking of live acts at The Espy.
What you need to know
- Iconic St Kilda hotel The Espy has been bought by a pub giant Australian Venue Co.
- The fitout and restaurants will remain the same
- They will be in charge of booking live acts when they take over in September
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
Reputed to be the longest continuously running live music venue in Australia, The Espy carries the torch of a prolific and storied history of live music.
In the 19th century, The Espy was the home of Alfred Felton until his death in 1904. A wealthy philanthropist and benefactor, Felton was the man who essentially founded the NGV through extensive donations. During his stay, The Espy hosted many famous visitors, including Mark Twain himself in the 1880s.
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It’s seen many transformations throughout the ages, from a steamy and smoky jazz and dance venue in the 1920s, to a disco in the 1970s – complete with a flashing dance floor (think Saturday Night Fever). With live music being played every night on up to three stages through the 80s and 90s, The Espy has always been a good community venue in support of local musicians. You also might recognise The Gershwin Room as the live filming location for Australian quiz show RocKwiz – where years before, host Julia Zemiro used to work as a waitress at the hotel.
With The Espy booking anyone and everyone from Archie Roach to Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, as well as many more up-and-coming artists, the new owners have big shoes to fill.
For more information, head to The Espy’s website.
