Glenn Piper’s newly established Epochal Hotels has announced the acquisition of the iconic Scarborough Hotel in Wollongong.

The historic establishment has been part of the Illawarra landscape for an impressive 138 years. WIN Corporation sold the property for $9.5 million, marking the first time the pub has changed hands in four decades. The sale comes as WIN’s focus turns to growing and maintaining the organisation’s media and investment businesses.

Scarborough Hotel boasts a breathtaking setting and more than 3900sqm of prime oceanfront land. As the oldest licensed premises in the City of Wollongong, the heritage-listed building carries great local significance.

Piper said: “The Scarborough Hotel stands as a rare gem among Australian pubs, boasting an expansive outdoor area, unparalleled beer garden views, and a rich and storied history. This is a deeply meaningful project for us; we want to deliver something truly special here, an experience that befits its spectacular location, reflects the pub’s stature and resonates deeply with the community”.

WIN Corporation CEO Andrew Lancaster said: “Pubs are not part of our core business and it is time for a new owner to guide this iconic site into the future,” he said. “We are happy to have sold the Scarborough Hotel to Epochal Hotels as we are passing it into safe hands with a proven track record. Epochal Hotels has a strong understanding of pubs and hospitality and we look forward to seeing what fresh ideas they bring to the hotel”.

The birth of Epochal Hotels

Piper and his team have been expanding their portfolio of iconic venues along the east coast since 2019.

The first was Freshwater’s Harbord Hotel, followed by Newcastle’s Merewether Beach Hotel, North Sydney’s Commodore Hotel, Q Station on Sydney’s Northern Beaches and Hook Island in the Whitsundays (above).

Piper said: “Our mission is simple: to uncover unique local institutions and the collective memories buried within communities. As a team, we’re fueled by the desire to build on or revive local pride in places we genuinely believe are incomparable”. 

As per previous venues, Piper has partnered with a small syndicate of investors on the purchase, including several that are local to the south coast. Epochal said further details would be announced in due course.