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A night out at the Hawthorn Hotel was a rite of passage for many Melbourne students.
The pool tables and pinball machines provided hours of entertainment, while an array of beers on tap and classic pub meals kept the masses fed.
So it was like a kick to the nostalgic gut to hear that the Hawka was shutting its doors. Well, that’s all changed thanks to a partnership between the Australian Venue Co and Swinburne University of Technology.
In exciting news, the venue has now been restored to its former glory so its doors can re-open on June 22, 2021 but with a few additional tweaks.
The ground floor will be operated by The Australian Venue Co, who currently own 150 venues across the country. There might be a brand new dining space with a revamped beer garden, but the venue's makeover also hails the return of Tightarse Tuesdays, with happy hour and late night music entertainment returning once restrictions ease.
Pub staples will remain on offer like the chicken parma, fish and chips and burgers like The Hawthorn with double beef and bacon, with a few new additions, too. The budget-friendly $15 cocktail list will also feature the classics like the late-night study buddy Espresso Martini, Negroni, Margarita and Aperol Spritz. There will also be a daily happy hour, live music and sports, and a variety of pub specials including Steak Night, Parma Night, Sunday Roast and more.
Swinburne will licence the first floor of the venue, which will become a dedicated space for its alumni, industry partners, staff and students. It will transform into an events space that will also offer the community the opportunity to book for functions on weekends. There’s still hope for the venue to continue hosting 18th and 21st birthdays like it's known to in the past.