Billionaire Arthur Laundy shells out $300million to buy best known pubs in NSW

One of Australia’s biggest hotel barons has splashed out $300million on five iconic Australian pubs.

Billionaire Arthur Laundy snapped up the 50 per cent stakes in five well-known pubs across NSW that had been previously been held by investor Fraser Short.  Laundy Hotels already owned a half stake. 

The hotels included in the deal include the Watson’s Bay Boutique Hotel in Sydney‘s eastern suburbs and the popular Northies in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire.

Some of the hotels in the deal included the iconic Watson’s Bay Boutique Hotel (pictured)

The industry heavyweight also snapped up control of The Farm (pictured) – a popular venue and tourist attraction at Bryon Bay

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The purchases add to an impressive list of venues, hotels and bottle shops the group already own across the state including sites in Liverpool, Homebush, Wagga Wagga and Dubbo (pictured, Northies in Cronulla)

The industry heavyweight also snapped up control of The Farm – a popular venue and tourist attraction at Bryon Bay. 

The other pubs picked up by the Laundy Hotel Group include the Lennox Head Hotel, the Illawong Hotel and the Park House in Mona Vale. 

Arthur Laundy (pictured top, at his 80th birthday shindig with daughters Danielle (left) and Justine (right), sons Stuart (front left) and Craig (front right) and his wife Margaret Paul, centre) admitted it had been a challenging 10 years in the hospitality industry

The purchases add to an impressive list of venues, hotels and bottle shops the group already own across the state including sites in Liverpool, Homebush, Wagga Wagga and Dubbo. 

Mr Laundy and bar industry veteran Mr Short kicked off their partnership when the pair jointly purchased the Watson’s Bay property for $27million in 2012 from the Doyle family. 

Meanwhile, Mr Short, a dad with four young children, told the Daily Telegraph he might branch away from hospitality. 

‘Running 1,200 staff has had its challenges, I have been talking for a little while to Arthur about selling out to him, it’s been very overwhelming,’ he said. 

‘Arthur has given me an opportunity. How do you manage work and young kids.’

Mr Laundy and bar industry veteran Mr Short kicked off their partnership when the pair jointly purchased the Watson’s Bay Boutique hotel (pictured) for $27million in 2012

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The other pubs picked up by the Laundy Hotel Group include the Lennox Head Hotel, the Illawong Hotel and the Park House in Mona Vale (pictured)

Mr Laundy said he would finance the massive $300million payment via cash and debt, admitting it had been a challenging 10 years in the hospitality industry. 

His daughter Danielle Richardson was involved in negotiating the massive deal with her husband Shane Richardson, which will lift the hotel group’s staff numbers to 3,000.

The group have also become the largest independent draught beer buyers in the country since the deal. 

Mr Laundy’s son Stuart said he looks forward to working more with Danielle and Mr Richardson, ‘who are very good operationally’.

He added he was sorry Mr Short was leaving the business.

‘It’s been great working with Fraser Short,’ he said.

Mr Laundy said he would finance the massive $300million payment via cash and debt, admitting it had been a challenging 10 years in the hospitality industry (pictured, Watson’s Bay Hotel)