The doors to the revitalised Kirra Beach Hotel officially reopen today, ready for a new era of welcoming locals back to their favourite watering hole overlooking one of Australia’s most iconic surf breaks. Open from 10am, 7 days a week and walk-ins only, the Kirra Beach Hotel is the Southern Gold Coast’s new quintessential Australian pub that is a celebration of life by the coast for all to enjoy.
Gearing up for a huge summer ahead after a three-year closure, the much-loved pub is back with publican and licensee Greg Hodge or ‘Hodgy’ at the helm, along with venue manager Julie Craig, head chef Richard Whiting, and cellar manager, Kris Flint, and many more core staff returning.
“The team have done a great job on the new fit out and I know the locals are going to love it. It still feels like home and has that nostalgic, old-school pub charm to it”, said Hodgy.
Quenching the thirst of Kirra locals and world champion surfers since 1956, the revitalised pub is the anchor and soul of the new Kirra Point precinct and continues to be a friendly, no-fuss favourite, honouring the fabric of its past and keeping the community at its heart.
Hodgy said, “The Kirra Beach Hotel has always been more than just a pub for our guests and it’s a place where anyone is welcome. It’s a second home, a place where you can relax and be on a first name basis with our staff, a place where you can pop in after a surf and grab a bite to eat, and perch up with a beer in hand and watch the waves and magic of Kirra roll in.”
Pub-goers can walk straight to the pub from a swim at the beach, sandy and happy. “We will always keep a tub of thongs behind the bar for you, if you haven’t got shoes”, says Hodgy.
Holding the ground floor, corner position on Marine Parade and Miles Street, the new 1300 sqm Kirra Beach Hotel is a beachside haven with something for everyone including an expansive, sun-drenched beer garden positioned directly across the road from the surf that is unlike anything else that exists on the Coast, a vibrant family-friendly bistro, kids area, public bar, sports bar with large-screen TVs, and a boutique bottle shop stocked with all the local faves. There are also 130 parking spaces in a new underground car park, making it easy for guests to pop in any time of the day.
The space has been tailored to the generous laidback beach lifestyle with soaring five-metre ceilings and wide-open windows that creates a breezy coastal-casual vibe and floods the venue with golden sunshine. With views over Australia’s most popular point break, the space pays homage to the surf culture that defines Kirra and the surfing legends that have long called the pub theirs, like Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson, Steph Gilmore and Mark Occhilupo, with iconic surfing memorabilia adorning the walls and signed boards taking pride of place above the main bar.
The revamped menu has something for everyone and will showcase a bounty of local produce and feature a blend of classic pub favourites, lighter bites and vibrant and tasty share plates that pair perfectly with the coastal atmosphere. Locals will be pleased to see the return of some of their much-loved pub favourites including schnitzels, beef rissoles with mash and fish and chips; amongst a range of exciting new additions that include fresh salads, raw seafood options, burgers, Asian-inspired dishes, delicious meats and fish from the grill; and of course, meals for the kids.
There will also be weekly seafood specials fresh from the trawler like natural and Kilpatrick oysters, half a kilo of fresh bugs or prawns, fresh bug rolls with tempura battered bug tails in a toasted brioche roll with crisp lettuce and topped with a lemon aioli and fresh chives, and a KBH seafood platter with 1kg of fresh prawns, half a kilo of fresh bugs, flash fried calamari, crumbed barramundi and hot chips.
The pub will pour a range of icy cold beers, house and Australian wines, with a focus on local brewers and distillers such as Balter, Burleigh Brewing and Brookies Gin.
Technē Architecture and Design are behind the new look, with Technē associate, Bianca Baldi, saying, “We were deeply inspired by the location of the venue and the meaning it holds for the local community. A truly one-of-a-kind environment, our design sought to pay homage to its coastal locale and laidback beachside lifestyle. These characteristics are reflected in the surf culture-related stylings, the colour palette mirroring the transition of landscape — from ocean waters to the sandy beach and hinterlands — as well as in the layered materiality, which inspires a nostalgic yet welcoming and comfortable atmosphere.”
“Kirra and the Kirra Beach Hotel have always been very community driven and we will keep that going, supporting local groups like the Surf Lifesaving Club and various charity fundraisers. The pub should and will always remain always be a hub”, said Hodgy.
The Kirra Beach Hotel is the first of two hospitality venues opening as part of stage one of KTQ Group’s spectacular and highly anticipated Kirra Point Precinct, with Kirra Beach House opening in early December. Both venues are set to become major draw cards for both locals and visitors who are keen to drink in the magic of Kirra.
Jeremy Holmes, KTQ Group’s Development Director, said “We want locals to come here, people from all over the Gold Coast and Australia, and all become invested in the Kirra ethos and rhythm.”
.jpg){kind=tracking}
