A revitalised Merewether Beach Hotel is on the cards with renovations planned after a period of community consultation.

Since acquiring the venue in May 2022, hotelier Glenn Piper has looked to the community to shape the future of the Newcastle region pub, affectionately known by locals as “The Beaches”.

“The community has been gathering at The Beaches for generations, so taking on the custodianship of this landmark is a tremendous honour,” Piper said.

“With that comes great responsibility and it is incredibly important that we restore The Beaches to be a true reflection of its history and locals that have always made it their own.

The first phase of redevelopment will be the opening of a hole-in-the-wall beachside kiosk called Larrie’s, paying homage to milk bars of the 1970s, and serving classic Aussie beach food.

“The friends and the family, the surf and the city, the nostalgic and the modern, all under one roof where everyone is welcome,” Piper said.

Designed in collaboration with local architects EJE Interiors, Larrie’s has vintage brown and mustard tiled bars and aluminium-edged laminate countertops which line the takeaway.

With Larrie’s due to open in April, the second phase of the renovation is set for later in the year with a new ground floor bar and first floor dining on the cards.