A SLICE of Newcastle's history is on the market.
The pub that inspired a Cold Chisel song and caused 4000 people to riot when they closed it in the 1970s is up for grabs.
Yes, the Star Hotel site can now be yours, with the property listed with a guide of $1.8 million.
The price includes the hotel's liquor license.
The Hunter Street property in Newcastle West occupies the ground floor of a corner position with street frontage to King Street and lane access from Devonshire Lane.
It includes a restaurant and bar, with 10 tap beer lines, a commercial kitchen, a cool room, and indoor and outdoor seating.
"We are expecting interest from local and Sydney-based hospitality operators who are looking to take advantage of the walk-in walk-out nature of the opportunity and existing fit out," listing agent Nick Christensen from Colliers said.
The agent said the hotel's operator is moving on which has led the Sydney-based owner to put the property on the market.
The owner purchased the property as an investment in 2018.
"The Star Hotel is synonymous with Newcastle history. It has been around since the late 1800s so we are excited about this one," Mr Christensen said.
"We are looking for either an operator to come in as owner-occupier or an investor to buy it and look for an operator to lease it.
"The fit-out is going to remain so the new owner can come in and start operating immediately.
"Hopefully it brings in a good restaurant or bar operator because the city is thriving post-COVID.
"It's ready for someone to come in and make it work."
Originating back to the late 1800s, the pub emerged as one of the city's top live music venues during the 1970s.
The Star Hotel became a part of Newcastle's history on the night of September 19, 1979 when an estimated 4,000 people rioted in the street following the closure of the pub, setting fire to cars and assaulting police officers.
The riot resulted in a string of arrests and inspired the Cold Chisel song, Star Hotel.
The listing of the Star Hotel site follows the recent sale of the Commonwealth Hotel at Cooks Hill which sold for an undisclosed amount to regional NSW hotelier Ben Lawler and Ashton Waugh, the son of the late renowned hotel owner Bill Waugh.
Hotels in the region have drawn huge sales figures in the past 12 months.
East Maitland's Windsor Castle Hotel sold for $51 million in mid-2022 (including 30 gaming machine entitlements).
In April, Mount Hutton's Lake Macquarie Tavern sold for $33 million and in May, Merewether's Beach Hotel sold for a figure said to be around the $40 million mark.
