For this Williamstown pub, locals and footy are everything

Imagine a pub where everyone knows your name and an AFL team come to celebrate after a win – that’s the Prince Albert Hotel in Williamstown.

Located at 147-149 Douglas Parade, Williamstown, the pub’s currently listed by Adam Caruso of Joseph Louis Realty with a price guide of $6.8 million.

The Prince Albert Hotel in Williamstown is about 110 years old and was built by Carlton United Breweries. Picture: Harrison Astbury

It was built circa 1915-16 by Carlton United Breweries, yet a pub has been at the location in some form since the 1800s.

For the current vendors, brothers Salih and Jeff Salih, it’s been a labour of love for the past quarter of a century.

“It’s been good to us; we just want another person or people to enjoy it, for sure,” older brother Salih said.

“We’ve got a few other projects on the go and we’ve enjoyed the good days – we just want other people to really have some fun with it, because it has good vibes and good things going for it.”

Those good vibes and good times include the 2016 AFL Grand Final where the Bulldogs defeated the Sydney Swans – marking the first premiership for Footscray (now Western Bulldogs) since 1954.

According to Salih, players came down to the Prince Albert following the win and had the place rocking.

Wives and girlfriends were dropping off kit bags so the players could settle in for a big night, according to Mr Caruso.

The Williamstown Seagulls VFL club also use the hotel on a regular basis as a meeting point and local watering hole.

Tom Liberatore shares a beer with his dad Tony after the Bulldogs’ 2016 Grand Final win. Picture: Getty

Williamstown is no stranger to a pub, owing to its wharfie and dockworker past –  the Hobsons Bay Hotel, Stags Head, Rifle Club, and Victoria Inn are within a stone’s throw.

There’s also the Junction Hotel up the road in Newport, let alone all the pubs a little further in Footscray.

The Mona Castle Group, an investment group made up of former and current Bulldogs players such as Tom Liberatore, has also been busy snapping up inner-west pubs recently.

This includes the Mona Castle Hotel in Seddon and the Spotswood Hotel, both of which are about 10 minutes from Williamstown.

However, what makes the Prince Albert different is the local feel and charm; Williamstown is the kind of place where people say hello as you’re walking your dog in the morning.

The brothers said while the property has been sitting vacant, locals have kept an eye on it to keep taggers and vandals away.

“This suits somebody who loves hotels, who’s a local in the area – this hotel is turnkey,” Salih said.

The Prince Albert Hotel sits on 983 sqm with huge renovation potential. Picture: realcommercial.com.au

Turnkey and turning heads

It was operating until about 18 months ago, and it’s recently updated its liquor licence, so it’s good to go and remains remarkably intact, down to the taps and glassware.

Just install some kegs and away you go.

While the brothers say it suits a local – they have been westies for life – there is wide investment potential.

“There’s a lot of different ways you can go about it – it suits a developer, it suits a bed and breakfast,” Salih said.

“You could make it prettier or make it bigger – there’s lots of potential.”

The pub is turnkey and ready to go. Picture: realcommercial.com.au

With its mixed use zoning and 983 sqm of land, including a massive blank canvas out the back, there is strong potential for the site to wear many hats.

Upstairs is where the renovation magic is most likely to happen, with 12 rooms in need of some TLC.

It also benefits from dual frontage, located on the corner of Douglas Parade and Albert Street.

The Williamstown Seagulls play at one of the most scenic – and windy – footy ovals in Australia. Picture: Getty

Williamstown’s time in the sun

As for Williamstown, it’s fast becoming one of Melbourne’s hottest bayside pockets, favoured for its relative affordability compared to the east, and local community feeling.

“A younger crowd has been moving to Williamstown recently, and there’s always been a high calibre of people coming to Williamstown, but it just keeps getting better and better,” Salih said.

While this has been known by westies for years, the suburb’s panache only recently caught-on further afield.

Realestate.com.au had the bayside locale earmarked in its most Hot 100 list, while PropTrack data indicates the median sale price is nearly $1.6 million.