Tattersall's Pub - A Little Piece of History in Greta
In the small town of Greta, there is one pub on the main street that you may often pass on your journey into and through the Hunter Valley.
It’s called Tattersalls, and at the end of May 2019, the Tattersalls Hotel Greta changed hands with Margaret Bancroft becoming the new owner of the 130-year-old hotel. Margaret is almost Hunter Valley royalty with a long family history going back to the first properties in Lovedale. She is also the owner-operator of Hunter Valley Horse Riding and Adventures and Hill Top Country Guesthouse and is passionate about where she lives and works.
The hotel has a long history. Built in the late 1800's during the early mining boom, the first timber building was destroyed by fire and then replaced with the current brick building in 1910 for the Castlemaine Brewing Company. The pub walls have been witness to the stories and travails of miners and migrants (Greta was home to over 100,000 European migrants after WWII), locals and travellers. There were originally four pubs in the town, but Tattersalls is the last remaining and therefore an important part of the town’s heritage.
When Margaret took over the hotel, it was in dire need of repair and rejuvenation. Her vision was to create a meeting place for the community, as well as to attract visitors to the area as they pass through. Every effort has been made to create a family-friendly community space where people come together to enjoy a good meal, a fun atmosphere and even a haircut! There had been a barber’s shop on site for over 30 years, and when the barber retired, the opportunity was embraced to add a family hairdressing business instead. A Little Off The Top Greta can serve you a beer while you get your hair cut or a crisp glass of white while you have your hair braided.
During the COVID lockdown and restrictions, many improvements were made to the venue, with more ongoing since the COVID restrictions have been lifted. Downstairs the bar area has been painted, the bar itself replaced as well as the flooring and the light fittings. Upstairs the rooms are being renovated, and there is now a common room with a TV.
The pub is back to being busy with the billiards room in full swing with the jukebox playing, Karaoke nights on the last Sunday of every month and meat raffles every Thursday and Sunday. The Joker’s Draw and jackpots are growing every week, and the trivia nights every Wednesday are lots of fun with great prizes for everyone. There’s live entertainment from local artists and bands, TAB and Keno. There is a private dining room and catering available for special events such as birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, wakes and meetings.
Perhaps one of the most popular aspects of the hotel is the restaurant. Tuk Tuk Thai & Aussie Restaurant serves authentic Thai cuisine as well as the usual pub fare. Diners can choose to eat in the restaurant, bar or beer garden for lunch or dinner seven days per week. Rated 4.5 out of 5 on Tripadvisor and Google, the reviews are excellent, and prices are budget-friendly.
According to Margaret, she still has lots up her sleeve to make even more improvements and create the community meeting place for locals that she has envisioned. When asked how she relaxes and what is next for her, she says, “I love what I do. It’s not work to me, and I plan to just keep on doing the same!” With Margaret at the helm of all her thriving Hunter Valley businesses, the local community and visitors alike are the beneficiaries. Margaret won’t be drawn on why she purchased the pub, but one can speculate that with her love of the Hunter Valley, she may well have felt the need to conserve a part of the history of Greta and build on her legacy of creating and sharing aspects of the place she loves and calls home.
Tattersalls at Greta is an authentic country pub with a long, rich history that’s well worth a visit. Follow their Facebook page @TattsatGreta to stay connected and be the first to know about regular specials and events.
