The Royal Hotel in Dalton, built in 1865, is looking for new owners. Will you write its next chapter? Photo: Craig Palmer.
In small country towns, the pub is the place to go for more than a drink. They’re one of those meeting places where everyone can gather.
The small Southern Tablelands community of Dalton had been without a pub for nearly two years when Craig and Jeannette Palmer were handed the keys.
The couple decided to buy the pub after driving past the town hall one day.
But after four years of pouring beers, hosting community meetings and feeding hungry locals, they’ve decided it’s time to sell.
“We knew that the building had a lot of potential, and we could see that,” Craig says.
“We were thinking, ‘Jump in the deep end and you’ll learn it. Not coming from a hospitality background, it was a great challenge to take on.”
After a few months of renovations, the doors opened in December 2021.
“Our goal was to create a family-friendly environment for the community to enjoy, and we feel that we’ve done that,” Craig says.
“We’ve done what we set out to achieve, and now it’s time to move on. We’re just ready.”
Its listing with agency CRE Brokers states the pub is being offered as a freehold opportunity.
On a 2950-square-metre allotment, it offers a bar, four accommodation rooms for travellers, a commercial kitchen, a beer garden and an attached owner’s residence.
“We’ve just opened up a cocktail room, which has been well received,” Craig says.
“The beer garden’s probably our biggest asset because there are few beer gardens in the district where kids can run and play out the back [of a venue].”
Pub co-owners Craig and Jeannette Palmer plan to live in town. Photo: Supplied.
The small locality of Dalton is about 30 minutes east of Yass, or a little over an hour north of Canberra.
Craig feels the venue could become a hub for weddings and other functions, and cater to people looking to escape the big smoke in the “lovely, quiet little town”.
“There’s nothing like it in the district,” he says.
“A lot of people say they think that it would be somewhere in the city, not out in the country at a small country pub.”
He also says the pub’s location, set back from the highway, adds to its allure as a quiet escape from concrete jungles.
The couple is planning to buy a new home locally and stop in for a drink — but staying “on the other side of the bar” once they hand over the keys.
“We did say at the start that if it doesn’t work out, we’ve got a cool house,” he says.
“After being closed for two years, we weren’t sure what to expect. It’s definitely gone beyond our expectations!”
The Royal Hotel is at 25-27 Gunning Street in Dalton. Find its opening hours and further information on its Facebook page.
More details are also available on the sale listing.
