It’s Grand by all means

By Kath Gannaway
BY ANY measure, Yarra Glen’s Grand Hotel lives up to its name.
It’s grand! An imposing building at the centre of the village.
Now, under the fresh ownership of actors Fred Whitlock and Alison Whyte and business partner Nat Presutto, it’s also warm, inviting and family-friendly.
All three are experienced hoteliers. Fred and Alison moved to Yarra Glen as a life-style change shortly before starting their family.
Fred said they thought they were getting out of the hotel business, but when The Grand came on the market – the first time in nearly nine decades, they just couldn’t resist.
With their littlies a bit older – six, five and two – it was an exciting prospect which was not only a business opportunity but one which would cement their ties to Yarra Glen as their community.
“We’re raising a family out here and we find it hard to find a nice, casual place that we can enjoy as a family,” Fred said.
Their philosophy is to create a pub they would want to go to – warm, comfortable and family orientated.
It’s one which fits the “new” Yarra Glen with its mix of well-established three- and even four-generation families, young families moving in, the mid-aged “tree-changers”, who work down the line but like the community feel of “The Glen” and, of course, the tourists.
“We figure if we make the pub the sort of place where locals want to go, they will look after it and support it,” Fred said.
“As far as the tourists go, they will go where the locals go. The locals are our bread and butter and the tourists are the jam.”
Changes to the decor are what Fred describes as “set dressing” … mostly a bit of paint and paper. But the effect is to create a modern, comfortable feel with a bit of an edge. You could say achieving the WOW factor but not at the expense of the grand factor.
The Grand Hotel is open for lunch and dinner, offering an a la carte bistro-style menu.
Fred describes the food as modern Australian home cooking – honest food, cooked well and well presented.
Work is currently under way on expanding the kitchen which means patrons will also have the option in the next month or two of enjoying a delicious cooked breakfast or calling in for a leisurely afternoon snack.
It’s a grand plan that Fred, Alison and Nat have embarked on. Why not call in and see how it’s working?
The Grand Hotel is in …. well, if you’re in Yarra Glen, you really can’t miss it!