If the walls of The Kent Hotel in Hamilton could speak, just think of the stories they could tell.
Many of those memories are being fondly recalled in the lead-up to the hotel's centenary celebrations next year.
And so excited are the hotel's owners, Hunt Hospitality, about the milestone that they are hosting a 99th birthday party for the Kent on July 22 - and you're invited.
A $15 ticket includes complimentary sparkling wine and cocktails on the night as well as canapes. There will be live music and guests will have the option of purchasing $10 Cocktail Classics until 10pm.
It's all happening in the Kent's new Deco Lounge, which once housed Hunt Hospitality's head office and provides a more intimate space for people to meet and enjoy a cocktail or a bottle of wine.
"The Deco Lounge space honours many important points in history," Hunt Hospitality managing director Stephen Hunt said.
"From remnants of the 1989 earthquake in the restored brickwork to the architectural Australian art deco style, this new direction pays homage to the venue's rich and colourful history."
Hunt Hospitality's marketing director Luisa Amosa has her own memories of the Kent. It was the only pub her family would let her visit when she turned 18.
"I'm half Pacific Islander and have a really protective family with lots of cousins and uncles. When I turned 18 they told me the Kent was the only place I was allowed to go to because they knew all the security guards, and reckoned that's where I would be the safest," she said, laughing.
Aware that the 100-year milestone was approaching, and taking advantage of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions on trading, Hunt Hospitality made the decision to give the Kent a "dedicated and authentic refresh".
A new food offering is also being worked on by the bistro team, with "more of a grilled element" being considered.
"We wanted to go beyond a couple of licks of paint," Amosa said.
"We've invested a lot of time and energy and effort in taking the hotel back to its 1920 roots rather than an Ikea packaged idea of what a contemporary pub is supposed to look like.
"People think of the 1920s as the Great Gatsby, an Americanised golden era, but in Australia the 1920s looked really different."
Ruth Cotton's online blog, Hidden Hamilton, provides an interesting insight into the Kent's history. She writes about the "150 families from the village of Lettopalena, in the province of Chieti, in the Abruzzo region of Italy" who migrated to Newcastle and took a shine to the Kent; how a 6pm closing time meant workers would rush to the pub at the end of a shift for the "six o'clock swill"; and how the 1989 earthquake caused the front of the hotel to be "savagely stripped away".
These stories - and more - will no doubt be shared by guests in the Deco Lounge on July 22.
The Hunt family bought The Kent in 2002 and it "came under Hunt Hospitality's wing in 2019", said Amosa. Hunt Hospitality also own The Imperial Hotel (Maitland), The Sea Breeze Hotel (Nelson Bay), Finnian's Tavern (Port Macquarie), Ocean View Hotel (Urunga) and The Coffs Hotel (Coffs Harbour).
"The venue has been a pillar of the Hamilton community since 1924. It has given patrons a space to meet, celebrate, commemorate and even at times commiserate," she continued.
"We're very community oriented at the Kent Hotel. It's the people who make the pub, at the end of the day."
Added Stephen Hunt: "We are thrilled to reach this milestone. This birthday celebration is a way to express our gratitude to our loyal patrons and celebrate 99 years of cherished memories. We invite everyone to join us as we raise a glass and celebrate The Kent Hotel's vibrant spirit."
