By Alesha Capone
Renovation works at the historic Bridge Hotel in Werribee will begin this week.
The MoL Pub Group will start working on the Bridge Hotel, to create a new bar and restaurant in Watton Street.
Wyndham council, which owns the hotel, last year ran a procurement process to select the new operators of the venue, and named the MoL Pub Group as the successful applicant.
The MoL Pub Group also operate the Marquis of Lorne in Fitzroy, Union House in Richmond and the Mount Erica Hotel in Prahran.
MoL Pub group director Ryan Crick said he was looking forward to a new and improved Bridge Hotel opening to the public around the middle of this year.
“We’re incredibly excited to bring such an iconic local watering hole back to life, and back to the public,” Mr Crick said.
“The Bridge will be a community-focused pub, a meeting place for local people, and those travelling through.”
“As a group, we’re focused on regenerating pubs and pub culture, and creating venues individual and personal to the community they’re based.”
Wyndham major Cr Josh Gilligan said the hotel building has been on Watton Street since 1926.
“The plans for this site will build on that history, reactivating the venue into a high-quality food and beverage venue that locals will be proud to frequent,” he said.
“There are already a range of fantastic businesses operating in Werribee, and the reactivation of the Bridge Hotel will bring more people into the area, complementing the existing venues in the Werribee city centre.
“This ties in well with the work we’re doing as a council to redevelop Wyndham Park.”