PUB NEWS: AHA NSW AWARDS FINALISTS ANNOUNCED & REDCAPE ACQUIRES 3 WOLLONGONG HOTELS

After a record 630 nominations from across the state, the finalists in the AHA NSW Awards for Excellence 2018 have been announced.

The awards honour the achievement of excellence in NSW hotels across a variety of segments including accommodation, dining, entertainment, marketing, social media, community service and talented employees.

There are over 40 categories up for grabs including Best Family-Friendly Hotel, Best Outdoor Experience, Best Restaurant, Best Gaming, Best Bartender and Best Chef as well as the top awards for the 2018 City and Country Hotels of the Year.

Winners will be announced at a gala awards ceremony to be held at The Star Event Centre, Sydney on Tuesday, 20 November 2018.

For the full list of AHA NSW Awards finalists please click here.

REDCAPE ACQUIRES 3 MORE HOTELS BEFORE PUBLIC FLOAT

Redcape Hotel Group has boosted its portfolio with the purchase of three new pubs in Wollongong as it prepares for a public float valued at about $1.02 billion.

Unanderra Hotel, Figtree Hotel and Central Hotel in Shellharbour, were sold by private consortium Denfish Hotels, which amassed the portfolio over a 10-year period.

HTL Property’s Asia Pacific director Andrew Jolliffe and national pubs director Dan Dragicevich, who advised on the deal, said by combining the three hotels with its current Illawarra offering, The Lakeview Hotel Motel, Redcape would enjoy benefits of scale in the area.

The Central Hotel, Shellharbour, was 2013 AHA Regional Hotel of the Year.

The agents declined to comment on the price, but similar deals have been worth about $52 million. Redcape owns 32 hotels in NSW and Queensland, of which 31 are freeholds.