A more than year-long refurbishment has given new life to a historic Bungendore venue. Photo: The Carrington Inn.
It’s been a long time between drinks (and meals), but a historic Bungendore kitchen is reopening soon.
Flock closed a little under 18 months ago so the Carrington Inn team could give the beer garden and restaurant a glow-up.
Spokesperson Andrew Pattinson said that after many months of work, it was time to open the doors again.
“We’ll be opening the whole establishment … It [the closure] wasn’t undertaken lightly,” he said.
“It was a chance to reimagine the venue.
“The post-COVID world has been challenging for hospitality, and we’re looking at ways to make sure that the venue meets the modern requirements of people who are coming in.”
The Carrington Inn opened in 1885, giving travellers around Capital Country somewhere to lay their heads.
William Daniel Winter had built the inn with his own hands and named it after then-Governor of NSW Charles Robert Carrington, according to the venue’s website.
After his death, it became a private home for two generations before being converted back to accommodation.
“There aren’t too many places around that have that kind of history,” Mr Pattinson said.
“For the inn itself, because of its nature as an older building, it’s not all sprawling spaces inside. It’s quite intimate, small spaces.”
In modern times, the site has comprised the heritage-listed inn building, a bar, and an outdoor courtyard space.
As for Flock, the kitchen is in the middle of the building to give people easy access to both the beer garden and the accommodation areas (and a secret menu that’s coming soon).
Restaurant renovations included new turf in the beer garden, upgrades to and servicing of kitchen equipment, QR codes for ordering, and a range of touch-ups.
Staff are putting the finishing touches on the venue (including the gardens) and hiring more personnel.
“We’ve had a lot of calls to open, particularly with the spring and summer season coming,” Mr Pattinson said.
“These beautiful, longer days that we’re getting with a bit more warmth in the area mean we’ve had a lot of people saying, ‘Oh, why aren’t you open?'”
Meanwhile, Mr Pattinson said the Flock team was planning a range of events to keep patrons entertained while they dined, with travelling artists and shows in the mix.
“We’ve got a few ideas about things that we’ll do in the next 12 months or so, once we get set up and going properly,” he said.
“We want to help boost the local community in more diverse ways. Obviously, the guy with the guitar or the band at the hotel is great, but we’re also looking to appeal to a wider audience as well.”
It’s all part of plans to bring one of Bungendore’s beloved restaurants back to life.
“Bungendore is a really thriving community,” Mr Pattinson said.
“We’ve got a lot of new families coming in, as well as the established locals and long-time residents.
“There seems to be a real want and desire to have a well-functioning venue. There’s a lot of history here.”
But when are the doors actually opening at Flock? Mr Pattinson said the wait would last only a little longer.
“We haven’t fixed that date, but it’ll probably be after the [October] long weekend.
“We really welcome a lot of our local community members, particularly, to come along — but anyone wanting to come is more than welcome.”
The Carrington Inn is at 59 Ellendon Street in Bungendore. Follow Flock on Facebook to find out when the reopening date is confirmed.
