Pyrmont’s Terminus Hotel to re-open

The Terminus Hotel in Sydney’s Pyrmont is set to reopen its doors next week.

After more than 30 years of sitting dormant, the landmark hotel which was one of Sydney’s toughest watering holes in the 1950s drawing dock workers and industrial labourers is being brought back by a $2 million two year restoration project.

The building was restored and modernised by designers Luchetti Krelle and heritage architect Garry Stanley.

The site became the home of squatters after it was bought by Susan and Isaac Wakil for $250,000 in 1984.

The abandoned building was then purchased by David Mathlin and Binu Katar who bought it from developers Auswin TWT in 2016 for $4.75 million.

And they felt they had to bring it back to life.

The new-look Terminus will have nine hotel rooms, an alfresco courtyard, a glass-encased terrace and a traditional public bar downstairs.

“The vision was to bring it back to its glory and to make it a bit more modern but also have something that would be part of the community and enjoyed by the local residents,” Mr Katari told Commercial Real Estate.

Mathlin and Katari have lots of experience buying and restoring heritage houses in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.

The Terminus however is their first pub project and the big test was to bring the heritage-listed property up to modern standards in building codes and fire safety provisions.

“It would’ve been easier to start from scratch, but modifying it, maintaining the old building and making it compliant was a real challenge,” Mathlin told Commercial Real Estate.

The Terminus was built in 1863 and was known as the Cooper’s Arms Inn.

One of NSW’s largest breweries Tooth and Co acquired it in 1899.

The pub was remodelled in 1917 and named Terminus because its location was at the corner of Harris and John Streets.

It marked the last stop of the former electric tram line.

Leon Getler 27th February 2018