Empire strikes back after town's wave of pub closures

Detailed summary

One abruptly closed pub is pouring beers again, but what about the rest?

Empire Hotel patrons were back happily quenching their thirsts after the watering hole's sudden closure on November 1.

But questions swirl about the future of the other establishments leased by the Goulburn Pub Group - the Southern Railway and the Gordon - which closed on the same day.

O'Hara Group purchased the pubs and Simon Paterson's Goulburn Pub Group maintained the leasehold. About 40 employees were left out of work when Mr Paterson abruptly shut the three hotels after staff finished their shifts late on November 1.

The Goulburn Post understands they received what appeared to be AI generated text messages in the early hours of November 2, advising them of the closure.

Since then, O'Hara Group general manager Mary Charters said the company had been working to bring the pubs out of receivership. The Empire Hotel in Auburn Street reopened on Thursday, November 11. All former staff were on deck.

Mr Charters said patrons, including many tradies, were thrilled the Empire was back in business.

"It was tragic for Goulburn that the pubs closed, hence the reason we wanted to get the Empire back open," he said.

"Pubs are a very important part of the community so the locals are happy it's open again."

Mr Charters said he couldn't comment on the futures of the Southern Railway and the Gordon given they "were still in receivership". It is understood their financial viability will be assessed.

Opening of the article, excerpted from The Canberra Times. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.