Another Business Ceases Trading

[Ray]

After a few rather rocky years, it appears that the Belalie hotel has shut it's doors.

On Monday 2nd Feb 2009 a sign was posted on the front doors of the Belalie hotel stating that trading would cease on that day. Nothing more is known at this stage.

This is very unfortunate according to a local builder who states that the building is without a doubt structurally and practically the best of the pubs in Jamestown. It's also very sad when we compare it with it's days when owned by two local businessmen, at which time it was the most popular pub in the town and reputed to be a goldmine.

[utegirl70]

That's not good news at all.

Surely though, someone will come along and snap it up and reopen it? I know in this financial dire straights that we are in won't help matters, but a country pub with a good name will always have business.

[Ray]

I have no idea at the moment. The Belalie has not had a real publican since Flannery's left many years ago. It is owned by someone outside the town, and they haven't had a decent manager with any flair for the business, for many years.

If they sell the licence to some club in Adelaide, that will effectively be the end of it as a pub. With the Black and White empty, now the Eudunda Farmers building and the pub over the road we are getting a real dead spot in the street. Funnily enough i think the building that would have had the most potential as a business premises was the Black and White which was just vandalised and left as an eyesore.

[Dykey]

The Belalie Hotel

What a shame.It shows that thing are tough.

My family certainly was associated with the Pub.
Mum,two sisters and a sister-in-law worked there over the many many years.
As a kid I remember going there.

[Ray]

Talking to a bloke this morning and he said that it is owned by an Asian bloke in Adelaide who thinks that it will bring in the money that it used to in it's better years, with just anyone running it. Apparently he wants an exorbitant rental that it may have been able to afford when it was the best pub in the town, but certainly not now. Any new manager would need 12 -18 months of good management to overcome the damage  that has been done to it's reputation over the last 10 years or so and establish a good customer base again.

Personally I feel that it would make a great licenced restaurant seeing it already has a licence. Jamestown really needs a good eating establishment.

[adminer]

Unfortunately this isn't surprising to me.  We had a meal there on the night of the Christmas Pageant & it was one of the worst I've ever had. Not only did we wait 2 hours for the food, but the only veg was dry (& burnt) cauliflower.

Compare that to the excellent decor and food I had at the Orroroo Hotel on the Australia Day weekend - Jamestown's Pubs could learn from them! One of the salads (there were 6) was prawns and grapes in a light lemon mayonnaise sauce - delicious - don't know how they could do it for the money. They also had hot dinner rolls. Worth a visit on a Saturday night.

[Ray]

It appears that you don't have to go far for nice meals and reasonable costs. (Bookings required)

Friends of ours go to "Alice's Restaurant" at the Caltowie Pub. The meals are excellent,they have a good variety,they do not overcharge and will go out of their way to please.

We just need someone with a little imagination and flair to set up in Jamestown. To me it appears we have enough "pubs" serving Pub meals. We now need an establishment that focuses on food. Not necessarily just "high end", but a variety where you may get anything from a takeaway Hamburger to a fully catered Dinner. It can be done but needs a real Chef with some time in the trade, a person who loves to cook, they are out there.

One of the most oft repeated complaints about meals in Jamestown pubs seems to involve excessive waiting time for meals, 2hrs for a Schnitzel to be put on the table etc.  Meanwhile people who had ordered in the bar after me had been served and long finished their meal. It's happened to me (more than once), and I could name several others.

[tricky]

Peter and Leeanne Reid are re opening the restaurant that was called Coleman's on the Creek in March 2009.
It will be called Belalie Creek Restaurant.
Peter is a qualified chef, and I believe that he plans to cater for most preferences.
There is an announcement about the re opening of the restaurant on page 3 of this month's Jamestown Journal.

[utegirl70]

Wasn't it called the Belalie Creek Restaurant before?
It was when were living up there.

Back to Ray's and Admin's observations about the service/quality of the pub's meals... has it really gotten that bad?

When were up there, we alway's had such good meals and nice things to say about our service.
We used to(when finances allowed) go to the Commercial for meals quite often, especially for the shnitzels.
And more than once we had excellent Xmas dinners at the Railway hotel.

Used to be, that a pub meal was always a good experience, and value for money.

[tricky]

I think that the Belalie Hotel has recently had numerous issues including both very good, and very bad reports about their service and meals.
Note adminer's comments.
I consider that the other 3 hotels all do a reasonable job with their meals.

The old restaurant was called the "Belalie Brook Restaurant"

[Ray]

I personally feel that the overall quality and variety of pub meals in Jamestown is perhaps "adequate", but certainly not worth writing home about when compared with others I have visited, and generally the speed of service is abysmal. OK if you have settled in for a boozy night, but hopeless if you are hungry and/or have somewhere to go on completion of your meal. I walked out of one pub here several years ago after two and a quarter hours. The little woman and I used to go to what we considered the best pub for meals, but then it changed hands, the menu changed, and the prices went up. That's all it takes to stop customers from spending their money.

To my "pretty pedestrian" views, The Belalie XXXXXX restaurant needs new premises, it's never looked like any more than a converted council truck shed, and the surroundings could hardly be described as "salubrious".  To look at it, there is not one thing that says to me "This looks like a nice place to have a meal".

[hatchbackgirl75]

Looks more like a converted church to me ...

Heartily agree about the lack of eating places in Jamestown. We're not cooks though so we can just sit and lament with the rest of you and not do anything about it 

But we do have lunch a lot at the Jamestown Cafe. They make nice yiros ... aren't we high class food snobs?

[tricky]

Has anyone tried the food at the new Belalie Creek Restaurant yet?

[Ray]

I haven't been, but I have noticed quite a few vehicles there, and it appears that the new owners have started doing one night each week focusing on a particular Cuisine, Beef, Chinese, Sea Food, etc., I feel that these might do very well as it certainly brings a little variety into the town for those who enjoy eating out. haven't heard any reports as yet.

On another subject, it has been noticed that the Belalie Pub has reopened, The little woman and I might give them the benefit of our patronage one night soon,... if only we can keep it secret from the paparazzi. I just detest all those flashbulbs going off in my face.

[utegirl70]

The little woman and I might give them the benefit of our patronage one night soon,... if only we can keep it secret from the paparazzi. I just detest all those flashbulbs going off in my face.

"Stars without make-up~ and yes, they really DO eat!"   

I will be waiting with bated breath for my next issue of "Famous" magazine.