Braidwood’s big pink pub, the Braidwood Hotel, is recognised for its significant Georgian facade. Photos: Tenele Conway.
When Michael Robson walks through the pub he purchased late last year, the Braidwood Hotel, he dishes out the easy handshakes, taps on the shoulder, and the pats on the back of a seasoned publican.
Yet Michael has never been a publican; he is a Coogee Beach-based investor who moves between his main Sydney home and his truffle farm in the Braidwood region.
It’s a master move, really, one that might seem contrived if Michael wasn’t so damn genuine.
Before taking over what many refer to as ”The Big Pink Pub”, Michael had made two attempts to purchase the venue, always missing out by a whisker.
“I’ve tried to buy the pub a couple of times in the past, and people know that, and I think people were hoping that the pub would get some rejuvenation and move in the right direction,” Michael says.
Paul Garcia (left) and Michael Robson have reinstated the bar sign that can be seen in historical images of the Braidwood Hotel.
Throughout all those attempts and the final successful purchase, Michael had by his side Paul Garcia, a lifetime publican and Braidwood local who has run and owned more pubs than most people have drunk in.
“There was no way I was going into this without Paul. We became besties a long time ago. When I moved to town, he lived down the road and he knows pubs. I knew he had to do this with me,” Michael says in admiration of his counterpart.
Michael and Paul are like the Frodo and Sam of the pub world, always playing off each other and in seemingly perfect unison, each bringing a different set of skills to the game.
It’s what a building like this needs. Built in 1859 and recognised by Visit NSW as the finest example of an original Georgian-style hotel still operating in Australia, the Braidwood was in need of a little love and a lot of money, and the pair have big plans that see no part of the pub left untouched.
The plans, which aren’t finalised, currently look like they will include adding 25 accommodation suites out the back of the property, restoring the second-floor ballroom that was once a billiards hall and later hotel rooms, installing a South American-style barbecue in the backyard, a major repair to the internal stairwell that Michael says is fitting of any horror movie, the addition of a Georgian awning to the upper balcony, the restoration of the eight dormer rooms and the reinstating of the Commercial Hotel sign that is just visible on the upper corner facade.
The staircase would do justice to any horror movie, according to owner Michael Robson.
It may seem like a list of pipe dreams, but the duo has already hit the ground running and refreshed the facade, taking 15 goes at getting the shade of green just right to work with the salmon-pink building, which they have freshened up and are keeping despite the multitude of opinions on the colour.
In a short time, they have also recreated the saloon-style bar sign that can be seen in historical images, and sourced Bentwood chairs that are of the era, having first been seen in the Great Exhibition of London in 1851. There is also a new bar in the beer garden, plus two new apartments in back buildings that they let out to guests and an all-round facelift that the pub has been crying out for.
“We’re getting the base right at the moment, and people are noticing. The regulars who haven’t drunk here for a long time are coming back, and people can see the difference,” says Paul, who has been focused on working from the ground up to ensure the pub returns to consistency and stability.
The new outdoor bar services the beer garden at the Braidwood Hotel.
A part of that plan of getting the base right has been the food, starting with the installation of a new chargrill in the kitchen, because a country pub must have the perfect steak.
Under the guidance of head chef Steve Nicholas, the new menu is a nice balance of Australian pub classics and more modern dishes. You can grab a beef burger with chips ($26), a chicken schnitzel ($29), some salt and pepper squid ($19) and a chargrilled scotch fillet ($45).
Or you can step outside of the country pub norms and savour a serve of steamed shitake mushrooms infused with Asian spices ($11), some edamame beans with garlic, ginger and chilli ($9) or even some fire-roasted kinkawooka mussels with lemon, white wine, garlic, herbs, cherry tomatoes and crostini ($29).
The wood-fired pizza oven is churning out nine variations, from your classic ham and pineapple ($26) through to the lamb Marrakech with slow-cooked lamb tagine, Spanish onion, mozzarella and tangy yoghurt sauce ($28).
The well-stocked bar at the Braidwood Hotel.
Walking through the pub with Michael, there is a clear love for the building and its history. At each turn he excitedly points out a feature or an addition they have made while keeping to the historical context of the building.
At one point he stops to exclaim that bushrangers once walked here, and out on the top veranda he marvels at the view across the countryside that he says can’t be seen from anywhere else in Braidwood and he can’t wait for hotel guests to see it.
It’s that enthusiasm that will save buildings like this, remnants of our gold rush history that now stand between the past and our future. It might seem like an exaggeration to say they are in serious danger, but once you’ve been into the crumbling back stairwell of this Georgian building, there is no denying that indeed they are in peril and it will take passionate people like Michael and Paul to save them.
The Braidwood Hotel is at 180 Wallace Street, Braidwood, and is open seven days a week for lunch, dinner and drinks. Follow the hotel on Facebook for entertainment and live-music announcements.
