Feature
Bassendean Hotel re-opening
Built in 1930 by Paddy Connolly, The Bassendean Hotel has remained a key feature and community gathering place on Old Perth Road for almost 100 years.
The Town of Bassendean asked ARK Group’s Adam Kapinkoff about the Hotel’s refurbishment, re-opening, and his future vision for the heritage establishment.
Please tell us some background on your involvement with the Bassendean Hotel
I’m the General Manager of our family owned and operated hospitality group (ARK Group) that is always looking for opportunities in the sector. Our family has been involved in pubs, bars, hotels and motels for over forty-five years throughout Western Australia. I have been involved in the acquisition, planning, design and delivery of the Hotel. It’s been a challenging project with a ninety-two-year-old building. We’ve learnt plenty and we are extremely proud of the pub we will be delivering to the community. Hopefully, they love it!
What prompted you to undergo these renovations?
The Hotel has stood proud since 1930 on Old Perth Road as a community asset and meeting place and it felt like the right time to re-invest in the Hotel to match the evolution of the area. We identified the Bassendean as an excellent opportunity to be repositioned with a large and gentrifying catchment, proximity to the CBD, trainline, industrial areas and swan river and the fact that old historical hotels are generally tightly held assets. The fact there are 80 car bays onsite and plentiful parking nearby also helps.
What is your personal connection to Bassendean and the Bassendean Hotel?
I must confess I didn’t grow up around the area, but I have been blown away by the local community and how parochial and proud they are of Bassendean. I have learnt a lot about the history, characters, stories and heritage of the area as we worked closely with Jennie Carter (current councillor and local historian) and we have paid homage to as much of this as practical in the renovation. In total, we have about 350 historical images around the Hotel thanks to Jennie.
What inspirations did you draw from for the design?
The renovation was inspired by the inter-war classical style of hotel construction and pays homage to the history of the site. I just think you have to respect these old pubs when renovating them. There had to be consideration for spaces for the modern consumer also, so there are additional courtyards and a playground.
The saloon bar is something special. Once the gyprock ceiling was taken down, the double height space had beautiful original brickwork and the steel and wooden beams were exposed and have been left that way.
This space is essentially a mini-museum with photos of the last ninety-two years of the development of the Town of Bassendean, historical landmarks and people.
The Hotel balcony has been completely rebuilt and can be used for functions, dining and socialising and is a great spot to perch as well.
In total, there are nine zones, six bars and two kitchens and it will be licenced for circa 1250 pax.
How do you envision the Hotel and its purpose in Bassendean moving forward?
We felt the renovation could be a show of confidence and a catalyst for further investment in Old Perth Road in the near future, which is complimented by the extensive Town Master Plan. The Town Master plan showed the potential infill and development of the locality. The fundamentals for growth are there – a solid master plan, proximity to the trainline, CBD, parks, quality schools, the Swan River and the Swan Valley are also nearby. There is a lot going on in the area.
I feel like the western aspect of Old Perth Road could be an exciting little food and beverage strip and create some real vibrancy and activity in the town centre seven days per week.
We’re excited to be a part of Bassendean and will be here for a long time to come! See you at the pub.
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