Grand old hotel The Richmond Inn, a pub that’s been part of the local community for more than 150 years, has had a lush makeover. The picturesque venue – handily located opposite the train station – has been transformed into a family-friendly destination with a large, dog-friendly beer garden and ball pit.

The renewal is the work of Tilley and Wills, a group that operates and oversees Sydney venues such as Verandah Bar, The Bistro Mosman, and The Greenwood. According to CEO Nick Wills, the transformation started off as “just a paint job”, but the more time he spent in the region, the more he saw the opportunity to fill gaps in the local market.

“The idea was to create a great outdoor space because there isn’t really a beer garden in Richmond,” Wills tells Broadsheet. “We wanted to build something that was focused on family. I’d never really been to a pub that had a ball pit and I thought, given where we are, we could do something really cool and special.”

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The sprawling inn combines a range of indoor and outdoor spaces, with a highlight being the enormous beer garden, shaded by a towering jacaranda. Another outdoor area boasts a soaring glass ceiling decorated with hanging greenery, and cacti. The cactus theme is continued through to the public bar with a mural depicting the prickly succulents. And the bistro is the perfect spot to dig into a menu of classic pub grub by Tilley and Wills group executive chef Brad Sloane.

On Sundays, roasts come with all the trimmings, and chicken schnitzels with chips and gravy are $16 n week days. Three types of parmi – classic, Hawaiian or topped with pulled pork – are available alongside several burger options, “Big Mac” spring rolls and three cuts of steak.

“I’ve operated 16 pubs now and the one key thing I’ve learned is people don’t pay for rubbish,” says Wills. “All our food is home-made. Nothing frozen or anything like that. People appreciate quality.”

The Richmond Inn’s array of entertainment areas lends itself to event bookings, and there are a bunch of daily deals to get the punters through the doors. Kids eat for free on Mondays, Wednesday is two-for-one pizza night and on Fridays pizza is available till midnight. Local musicians and DJs play at weekends and plans are afoot for more indoor entertainment for the winter months, when Richmond’s location at the foot of the Blue Mountains often sends the mercury below freezing.

While it’s a welcome addition for locals, The Richmond Inn’s rural feel, just an hour out of Sydney CBD, makes it perfect for a day trip.

“We’re not trying to bring city vibes out to Richmond,” says Wills. “We’ve got something a little bit unique that we’ve created. We’ve made it a little bit fun, we try not to take ourselves too seriously and, hopefully, we’ll create a lot of interest in the area.”

The Richmond Inn
90 March Street, Richmond
(02) 4578 1044

Hours:
Mon to Thu 10am–midnight
Fri & Sat 10am–3am
Sun 10am–10pm

richmondinn.com.au
@richmondinnnsw