Publicans purchase second hotel

THE owners of Irish Murphy’s Ballarat have bought another pub within the city.

Over social media this month, the Maces announced they had taken over the Queen’s Head Hotel at Humffray and Queen streets, Ballarat East.

“We saw the opportunity as a beautiful, local pub,” co-owner Donald Mace said.

“We wanted to make sure that we maintain that history and that knowledge, and we see the opportunity to really lean into that with the locals around here.”

Mace praised the previous owners and said he was excited to take the hotel to its next chapter.

“Part of that focus is to really lean into the food side of things because we know the Ballarat people go out to eat first, and then they’ll drink second,” he said.

There would be an aim, Mace said, of further embracing fresh, local, seasonal specials along with seniors items on the menu.

Live music and extending the beer garden would also be ideas for potential growth.

A former chief executive officer at Beechworth’s Bridge Road Brewers, Mace and wife Michelle found the opportunity “to own their own destiny” and enter the hotel industry.

They bought Irish Murphy’s nine months ago and have run it as a family business. “People want to talk to the owners within businesses, especially pubs and small businesses, so we’re hands-on,” Mace said.

“We’re part of the community, you get to see me behind the bar, you have a chat with me. So we want to maintain that in everything we do.

“We don’t want to be a big corporate, we want to be really local focused and listen to what our customers are having to say.”