New chapter for Woody Pub

Woodside Beach’s Grove Hotel is preparing to enter a new chapter following the signing of a lease agreement with experienced hospitality operator Pat Patel.

The commercial operations of the popular venue, widely known as the Woody Pub, will transfer to Mr Patel, with settlement scheduled for Thursday, August 28.

The group responsible for restoring and reopening the hotel will retain ownership of the building, while handing its day-to-day operations to the new licensee.

Clint Hillas, who led the campaign to bring the pub back to life after it had stood vacant for about six years, said the agreement was designed to secure the venue’s future while maintaining its strong community focus.

“The original group retains the freehold, and the strategic intent is a smooth operational handover without signalling any retreat from our commitment to the community,” Mr Hillas said.

Mr Hillas recruited a group of partners to purchase the rundown hotel before they rolled up their sleeves and began the significant task of renovating it.

Their efforts restored an important meeting place for Woodside and the surrounding district.

“We want to say a huge thank you to the locals for their patronage and support over the past four years,” Mr Hillas said.

“The new operator will ensure the beer remains cold, community events continue and familiar faces are still present at the venue.”

The Grove Hotel will continue hosting local functions, including the upcoming Woodside Football Netball Club presentation night.

The relationship between the pub and the Wildcats has long been an important part of Woodside’s community life.

The hotel’s reopening came about 14 years after the Woodside Football Netball Club was reformed and once again provided teams and supporters with a place to gather and celebrate.

Before the pub closed, Woodside’s A Grade netballers celebrated their third premiership there in 2016. When the team claimed another flag in 2022, the players returned to the reopened venue for the celebrations.

The hotel was again packed with Wildcats supporters in 2024 when Woodside’s senior football team celebrated its first premiership.

“The pub and the football-netball club epitomise community connection, and that will continue under the new management,” Mr Hillas said.

He encouraged residents to continue supporting the hotel as the new operator takes charge, particularly while regional businesses face pressure from rising fuel prices, drought conditions, interest rates and broader cost-of-living challenges.

Mr Hillas said regular local patronage would be crucial to the hotel’s long-term success.

“Get yourself down there one night a week,” he said.

“The community’s support is the decisive factor that will sustain the business through this transition.”

While the lease marks a change in management, the message from the owners is clear: the Woody Pub will remain a community meeting place, a home for local celebrations and an important part of Woodside’s identity.news@thebridgelocalnews.com.au