Will You Go To The Uraidla Hotel When It Reopens?

WORDS Anthony Madigan Lonely is a pub without love... Driving down Greenhill Road to work each morning, I get to Uraidla and invariably glance over my left shoulder towards the old pub. It closed suddenly about three years ago. There’s been a message on the door ever since: “The Uraidla Hotel is closed for renovations.” I always look for a sign – any sign – that someone is going to give this beautiful 1880s two-storey building some much-needed love. The windows are boarded up, the weeds have taken over and there’s graffiti on the wall of an adjoining building next to the long-abandoned beer garden. In the saddest sight of all, the big flowerpots out the front of this big empty ghost pub are filled with soil but have nothing growing in them. Uraidla2 It brings down the whole town, which is otherwise impossibly beautiful. It has been reported that Hills entrepreneur Ed Peter is buying the Uraidla Hotel. He has grand plans including a glass conservatory overlooking the oval with its quaint old buildings and grandstand – home to the Uraidla Demons and the Uraidla & Summertown Country Show (where the CFS makes the best apple juice). Ed and his wife Julie are responsible for the inspiring transformation of the Crafers Hotel with its wine focus. Perfect – Hills winemakers can match it with anyone. The more local venues that showcase our world-class produce the better. This week it was also reported that David Walsh’s MONA art gallery in Tasmania has attracted 1.4 million people since opening in 2011. Last year it drew 330,000 visitors – about 28 percent of all visitors to Tassie. Ed Peter is not (quite) doing things on a MONA scale, but the point is we should never underestimate the value of local entrepreneurs who have the ways and means to improve the local economy and see opportunity where others see only weeds and decay. Other dynamic new projects that are adding life to the Hills include Beerenberg Farm, Ngeringa Cultural Centre, Petaluma winery and cellar door, Hahndorf Resort Tourist Park and the Bridgewater Mill. Ed Peter, who lives in Stirling, is a busy man. He is head of Deutsche Bank Asset Management for Asia, Australia and Japan. He owns Kaesler Wines in the Barossa and has just been appointed to the board of the Australian Grape & Wine Authority. I look forward to driving through Uraidla one day and glancing over my left shoulder and seeing the pub overflowing with happy people enjoying the scenery – including something pretty, hopefully, flourishing in those sad, old, empty flowerpots. Will you go to the Uraidla Hotel when it reopens? Email us here. --- Letter of Invitation: I would be available to answer any queries regarding best suburbs to integrate socially, just to let you know 21 suburbs of South Australia which are red-flagged by Australian banks. I am happy to provide detail answers to any questions with reference to Property Investment, Subdivision, Development, Buying/ Selling Residential, Commercial, Rural Properties and Businesses. I am available in person (Tue/Thu at 1289 South Rd, St. Marys, SA 5042 12 to 5 p.m) or on cell to answer any questions, and concerns you have to decide about your Real Estate. (Cell: 0431 138 537, Email: Saqlain@Dukesrealestate.com) Click here to invest in South Australian Residential Commercial, Rural Properties, Schools & Businesses.