Goulburn Empire Hotel reopens with full staff after shock closure
Empire Hotel in Goulburn reopened on November 11, rehiring all staff after a sudden November 1 closure.
The sudden November 1 closure left about 40 staff out of work across three hotels managed by Simon Paterson's Goulburn Pub Group. The O'Hara Group, which owns the pubs, worked to reopen the Empire Hotel by November 11 with all former staff on deck.
The venue's improved condition was immediately noted, with patrons welcoming the reopening on Remembrance Day. However, the Southern Railway and the Gordon remain closed pending financial viability assessments.
- 40 employees
- Staff affected
- November 1
- Closure date
- November 11
- Reopening date
- up to 2 million dollars
- Upgrades needed
Why it mattersA community pub returned to service, but the sudden closure revealed tensions between the landlord and operator that now threaten two other venues.
AustraliaA Goulburn social hub reopened with jobs restored, though the shock closure showed how quickly regional hospitality can collapse and put locals out of work.
