HSA_Apr-May_2020 Compact

The upstairs area has its own purpose-built open kitchen with
new equipment throughout.
“There is a great deal of flexibility on the first floor; patrons can
have a seated restaurant experience, or a snack meal in the bar.
“Everyone asks about the future of our Stonegrill and I’m pleased
to say the downstairs area retains a Stonegrill focus. It’s also
available upstairs but it is ancillary to the main menu items.”
Pre-pandemic, those items included venison tartare, Goolwa pipi
pappardelle and pepper berry and coffee crusted Paroo kangaroo
fillet and a unique take on an old North Terrace icon - the famed
Pie Floater. The menu may change depending on when SA hotels
are allowed to reopen.
EMPLOYMENT
While existing ground floor staff remain in place, the freshly
minted upstairs kitchen is made up of staff that have been
handpicked from the Basheer’s other hotels, as well as the
appointment of new staff. Once fully operational post-coronvirus,
21 new jobs will have been created.
MAIN ENTRANCE AND STAIRCASE
The accommodation closed in 1999 but the accompanying foyer
and staircase were retained at that time, which ultimately acted
as a barrier for people entering from North Terrace.
The hotel now has a much more open feel. A new staircase has
been handcrafted and pushes deeper - without the old ‘dog leg’ -
into the pub, and a lift has been installed.
At the top of the stairs is a floor to ceiling mural (see inset image).
CHALLENGES
Redeveloping a city hotel on a major thoroughfare was never
going to be easy. As one tradie remarked, it was a “rip-the-gutsout
renovation” and the hotel’s age – dating back to 1855 –
further complicated matters.
“I've done a number of renovations,” said David, who is President
of the AHA|SA, “but this was by far the most challenging.
“It is a very old building, it is city based and access was a
major problem. We had to undertake traffic management
almost every day.
“The layers of complexity that were involved in the renovation
were also new to us.
“While the ground floor had seen many renovations, the first
floor was quite untouched and we encountered a range of
structural issues.
“For example, we discovered structural beams that no one knew
existed. This caused costly overruns. We were thankful that
Studio Nine assisted with design changes to mitigate the cost.”
Surveying the hotel as the furniture was put in place in early
May, David said the Basheer family “went in with our eyes open
that it was not going to be simple and it wasn't, but we have an
outcome that we are very proud of.
“Group General Manager, Rebecca Barnes, spearheaded the
design, spending countless hours as the project manager.
“Our Hotel Manager, Tim Riemann, his management team and
staff did a great job, often under duress. They went above and
W W W . A H A S A . A S N . A U | Hotel SA | 17