Hotel changes 'sympathetic' to history

The new licensee of Dubbo's Commercial Hotel says changes to the venue will be respectful of its history.

Greg Pilon has taken over management of the facility, after the previous lessee went into voluntary administration last month.

He says he plans to renovate the building to include a steakhouse and sportsbar and the name will also be changed in a bid to shed the reputation associated with it.

"Short term we've got to just straighten the ship, tidy it up, weed out the problems and get in the staff, put the team around us that we know that we need," he said.

Mr Pilon says he hopes renovations will start before the end of the year.

"I would love to see something happening, we're coming into winter so we're into a quieter term, so obviously we're going to take two or three months to sort everything out, if we can get through to August and do a few renovations I see no reason why we can't have a few things happening by the end of this year."

However, Mr Pilon says he is aware that the hotel which was established more than 150 years ago, has sentimental value to locals.

"As far as the facade of the hotel and actually the name that we've got in mind will actually probably fit in better.

"It still will maintain the tradition and that as far as the meals, we get a lot of rural people coming in here for meals, none of that will change. Everything that will be changing is basically for the better."

Source: ABC News, 11 June 2013