THE Walloon Hotel will be knocked down to make way for a whole new building.
That’s the word from the new Director Stewart Gibson who said the old building was not heritage listed.
Mr Gibson’s family now owns the hotel and he said that before initiating any plans to upgrade the building, his family engaged a heritage consultant.
“We were told that the only original features in the hotel are the fireplace that is located next to the bar and parts of the ceiling,” he said.
“When you take a look at the ceiling you can see that there is significant wear and tear that does need to be fixed and eventually it will need to be replaced.
“We will keep some of the ceiling and the fireplace and incorporate the two features into the new construction of the hotel, which will keep some history.”
The first stage of the reconstruction will start with the building of a new drive through bottle shop.
Mr Gibson said the hotel will not be knocked down straight away.
He said the demolition would not “happen for quite some time”.
“Gable arches, a full wrap around verandah and special timbers will be used to keep the country feel in the new construction because we want to keep the antique feel with a modern touch.
“The building will still only consist of one level, though it will provide more space for our guests who at the moment are finding themselves standing on the footpath due to the lack of room we have in the current building.
“Another really big positive outcome from the new construction will be the ability for us to be able to provide more jobs to local people in our area.
“Community does mean so much to me, and I think it is important to look after our local people, supporting one another is what drives our little town.
“There is a real country feel here and that is demonstrated through the people who we meet over the bar, the families who we serve in the dining area and also with the few regular friends that pull up on their horses.”
Mr Gibson estimated that more than 40 people would be employed once the construction is completed.
