The Windsor Hotel is undergoing a major facelift to breathe more life and vitality into the iconic South Perth pub.
The Windsor Hotel is undergoing a major facelift to breathe more life and vitality into the iconic South Perth pub.
The main bar is already lighter and brighter but major work will take place in the former TAB building that adjoins the bar to include more alfresco space on Mends Street.
While owner Jeff Ogden was coy about the cost of renovation, it’s the first major revamp in about 16 years, according to the hotel’s general manager, Greg Harding.
“Everything was dark; there were black floors in here and I’m just lightening things up. We’ve got staff dress standards and the place is starting to look good and we’re instantly attracting a different clientele,” Mr Harding says.
“We’ve got rid of the ‘acca-dacca’ music and we’re playing more of a lounge style and we’ll have DJs on Friday and Saturday nights.”
Wayne Stubbs has been contracted to help with lighting and design, there’s a new sound system in the front room, new flooring and paint, new carpets, and new sporting memorabilia for the Slugger’s Bar.
“We’ve got all the pool tables and things foosball and air hockey at Sluggers and the main bar will be more focused on food and entertainment,” Mr Harding says.
“We’ve got a new head chef over from Sydney. In the coming months a wall will be knocked out to allow more alfresco seating on Mends Street.
“We’ll have an overhead awning and it will be completely open, so I’d say we could seat another 50 people out here [in the alfresco area].”
Mr Ogden says he’s considering redeveloping other pubs in his portfolio, including the Albion in Cottesloe.
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The modest Ismail Tosun, affectionately known as Ish, the owner and chef of Leederville restaurant Eminem, has been enjoying his own piece of celebrity. By his own admission he’s not into the celebrity chef gig but that hasn’t stopped the television camera’s showing up.
Earlier this month he featured on the SBS TV program Food Lovers’ Guide to Australia.
The promo for the show emphasised the traditional aspect of Mr Tosun’s skills: “He enlists his Cyprus-born grandmother’s help for some chicken and pistachio vine leaf parcels and prepares some of the most incredible Turkish food in Australia at his Eminem restaurant – the tiny eatery that’s caused a Perth sensation.”
“I haven’t got to see the SBS one yet but I heard that it was quite good,” Mr Tosun says. “We went to Kate Lamont’s vineyard and got the vine leaves and rolled them up, it was good fun. The week before we were on ABC’s Stateline as part of a story on slow food.”
And, the media hype doesn’t stop there. In November, Eminem will be featured in Gourmet Traveller magazine.
“The editor came out for something for David Jones and the manager there sent him here. He enjoyed it and it’s eventuated into them doing something on us, which is nice,” Mr Tosun says.
And the result for fans of Eminem? Bookings are becoming even more important. Weekends are booked at about three weeks in advance and getting a seat on a weekday can get difficult, so plan ahead.
