Sam Arnaout buys Manly's Hotel Steyne
Manly’s Hotel Steyne has been sold.
Sydney's popular northern beaches pub has been bought by Iris Capital founder Sam Arnaout whose said he was "delighted" to have bought the pub.
"We intend to get a good feel for the asset and work with the locals to return their pub to its former glory," Mr Arnaout said.
It was listed for sale in February.
Arnaout said the Steyne positioned Iris Capital as a "genuine hospitality leader in this part of the world, and complements our macro coastal investment strategy in respect of similar landmark projects such as Newcastle's $700 million East End development".
The Steyne will boost Iris Capital's portfolio to 20 pubs across Sydney, including the Grand Hotel, Bondi Junction; Golden Tiger, Hurstville; Gaslight Inn, Darlinghurst and Peden's Hotel in Cessnock.
Iris Capital beat out other contenders by paying between $60 and $80 million for the iconic pub.
Nine Entertainment suggest it was $65 million.
HTL Property would not be drawn on the sale price, however described it as a “record price” in their official statement.
The Manly Daily reported the shortlist of five, included two international buyers, two from Sydney and one from interstate.
It was reduced to a final two.
The landmark and multi-level beachfront hotel, spread across approximately 2000sqm, was offered by a consortium that comprised businessman John Singleton, hotelier Arthur Laundy and investors Robert Whyte and Mark Carnegie.
They paid about $30 million for the property in 2010, and have reportedly spent about $5 million.
Speaking to the Manly Daily, Mr Laundy said that he was happy with the outcome, both from a sale price perspective and the new buyer.
He said he had bought and sold more than 90 hotels in his almost 60 years as a publican, and Hotel Steyne would easily be in his top 10.