Buy the pub from TV show ‘The Sullivans’

The Melbourne pub that featured that featured in one of Australia’s most loved television series, The Sullivans, is on the market and could be yours for as little as $2.5 million.

The Retreat Hotel, at 226 Nicholson St in inner-city Abbotsford, was a regular fixture in the popular Aussie drama, which ran for eight seasons from 1976 to 1983.

The long-running series, set in Melbourne amid Germany’s declaration of war in 1939, was home to Australian on-screen royalty, including Michael Caton, Paul Cronin and Lorraine Bayly.

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Fans of the show might recognise the pub’s storied bar area, but there’s more than just nostalgia on offer at this watering hole.

The bar area at the Retreat Hotel.

The pub, built in 1915 and now owned by the Fermanis family, spans two storeys on a 308sqm corner block with heritage overlays.

But CBRE agents Will Connolly and Scott Callow say the venue has flexibility through its Neighbourhood Residential zoning, and includes a ground floor dining area with an open fireplace, multiple second-storey rooms, a commercial kitchen and an outdoor space.

The Retreat Hotel in Abbotsford is expected to sell for more than $2.5 million.

“Without a doubt, The Retreat Hotel is one of the most affordable freehold pub opportunities currently available in today’s market. Its affordability will allow a greater cross section of buyers to secure the site and utilise the property immediately due to its vacant possession,” Connolly says.

Callow adds: “The hotel has an enormous amount of history and cultural significance to the area, so while our priority is achieving the best possible result for our vendor, it’s also important that we respect the property as a local landmark during the entirety of the campaign.”

Abbotsford has seen a flurry of activity in the pub investment market recently, with the renowned Carringbush Hotel selling at auction in December for just under $3 million, while in early September the nearby 153-year-old Park Hotel sold to a local buyer for $3.18 million – nearly $1 million above its reserve price.

The hotel is being sold with vacant possession at auction on Friday, March 2 at 12.30pm