Historic inner city watering hole the Friend in Hand Hotel in Glebe has sold for the third time in six years.

The hotel was sold by HTL Property with agents Sam Handy, Blake Edwards and Andrew Jolliffe having negotiated the sale.

It was sold by Momento Hospitality who acquired the hotel in an off-market deal back in 2021 from Young Family Hotels.

At the time, it was the third inner city hotel purchase for Momento Hospitality who acquired the Friend in Hand Hotel (Glebe), Royal Albert Hotel (Surry Hills) and the Nags Head Hotel (Forest Lodge) all in quick succession; and in addition to the groups greenfield pub sites in both South-West and North-West Sydney – the highly regarded group has since opened the Silverwater Hotel as well as the widely anticipated Oran Park Hotel, which opened to applicable fanfare last week.

In terms of the most recent sale, it was deemed a non-strategic asset by Momento Hospitality given the scale of some of their other newer venues; and when considering the presence of their nearby Nags Head Hotel, which was recently repositioned with a gastronomic English pub activation.

The hotel was successfully acquired by the Ray Reilly led Riley Group, which itself owns a burgeoning stable of inner west hotels including the Sydney Park Hotel (Newtown), Henson Park Hotel (Marrickville), the White Cockatoo Hotel (Petersham) and both the London Hotel and Cricketers Arms Hotels (Balmain).

‘We’re absolutely delighted with our acquisition of the Friend in Hand Hotel. We’ve admired this hotel from afar over the years and just haven’t been in a position to acquire it the last couple of times it has become available’ suggested Riley Group’s, Ray Reilly.

‘Our plans are to talk with the locals, listen to exactly what they want and then immediately execute an extensive renovation and refurbishment in line with what the local community want’ Reilly added.

In a further twist to the sale, it was reported that there was a community outcry after rumours starting circulating around the Glebe community that the hotel’s famous and much loved cockatoo, George, was going to be evicted from the hotel by the incoming owners after a 16 year residence.

However, it has been favourably confirmed by representatives of both Momento Hospitality and Riley Group, that George will be temporarily rehomed at the aptly named White Cockatoo Hotel in Petersham, whilst the Friend in Hand Hotel is extensively renovated and refurbished over the next few months.

The exclusive agents would not be drawn upon as to the sale price, citing a confidentiality agreement; however advised that the successful sale price was in line with the original market guidance provided throughout the sale process.

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