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It was the biggest, flashiest, most champagne-swilling opening of the early noughties, and now Print Hall is back.
The former four-story complex of restaurants, a coffee roastery, bakery, bar and rooftop “playpen” re-opens to the public on February 15 after a long shutdown.
Print Hall’s bar at its opening in 2012.
It will have a different look and a nightclub vibe from its new owners, night club entrepreneurs Night Owl Entertainment Group. They say the new look Print Hall will be “breathing a big boozy breath of fresh air into Brookfield Place”.
When the multi-level Print Hall complex first opened in September 2012, it was the big pockets of Computer Share billionaire Chris Morris that funded the multimillion-dollar transformation of the former newspaper building into the hottest new venue in the CBD.
It boasted name-brand chefs and sommeliers, an epic wine list and a fetching mix of sleek, recherche food in its signature restaurant Gazette; upscale bar food at its rooftop eyrie, Bob’s Bar; and some of the best South-East Asian street food in Perth at the Apple Daily restaurant.
Night Owl operates a number of WA venues including Amplifier Bar, Magnet House, Edison Bar, Metropolis nightclub in Fremantle, a number of Flight Club locations, the Breakwater Tavern at Hillarys, plus a handful of other venues from Fremantle to Joondalup.
Chairman David Heaton said he had hoped the renovations would have been completed by now, but “dealing with heritage people and all the approvals have put our timetable back”.
The building was constructed in 1932 for The West Australian newspaper and is one of just a handful of heritage buildings remaining on St Georges Terrace.
“We’ll be opening up the big restaurant and bar space on the ground floor and Bob’s Bar with the Apple Daily and mezzanine level to be opened, hopefully, in a couple of months,” Heaton said.
“Bob’s Bar will be a little more high-energy in keeping with our nightclub background, so we’ll be bringing DJs to the rooftop and small bands downstairs … loud upstairs, a bit softer downstairs.
“Stage two will be revamping the Apple Daily space, we’ll be looking at the end of the year for that, but if everything goes well we may bring it online as soon as April/May.”
The drinks will be flowing at the hip heritage CBD building later in February.
Heaton said there had been lots of interest with people popping their heads in for a look and more than 300 reservations on the books already.
“We’re getting asked about oysters. A lot of punters remember the Print Hall shucking station run by celebrity oysterman Jerry Fraser and, while we haven’t spoken to Jerry yet, we can confirm that an oyster station will be a part of the new opening,” Heaton said.
As far as cuisine goes, Print Hall will be doing a modern Australian menu in the restaurant downstairs, with a pared-back version – tailored to food easy to eat in one hand with a drink – at Bob’s Bar.
Print Hall’s chef is Gustavo Ribeiro, who has been working with the Night Owl group for several years.
“It’s an iconic venue in Perth and the time’s right for it to come back,” Heaton said.
“We’ve got great confidence in the centre of the city. We think hospitality venues are in the right place at the right time and we’re looking forward to a lot more hospitality businesses coming into the city as confidence grows.
“The next chapter in the story of Print Hall is an exciting one that we can’t wait to share with the people of Perth.”
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