Quirky country pub Radio Springs announces sudden closure
The one-of-a-kind hotel in “the centre of the universe” will close its dining room this weekend and slowly wind down operations.
A one-of-a-kind pub in country Victoria with legions of fans will be closing this month, with little clue as to what’s caused the sudden announcement. Radio Springs Hotel in Lyonville, a hamlet between Daylesford and Trentham, shared the news on social media on Wednesday night.
“We re-opened last weekend looking forward to 2025. However during this week our circumstances have changed considerably and we are announcing that this weekend will be the last for our kitchen,” reads the post.
The news comes just days after the venue advertised for a second chef and kitchenhand.
Owner Ken Parfrey has been contacted for comment.
Flagged by a signpost that reads “Centre of the Universe”, the rambling hotel that Parfrey and Jackie Airey re-opened in 2009 contains several bars, a dining room, accommodation, a library, extensive gardens and a cinema screening room. Most weekends, live bands play everything from Irish fiddle music to jazz and rockabilly.
Walls are crammed with paintings and bric-a-brac, heavy drapes frame the dining room, and service is old-fashioned yet friendly.
The response to the news on social media was heartfelt, with many locals and visitors recalling moments spent at the pub and pledging to make one last visit.
One commenter described Radio Springs as “an oasis in a sea of insanity”.
“There simply will be no one that can replicate this treasure,” said another.
More to come.
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Emma Breheny – Emma is Good Food’s Melbourne-based reporter and co-editor of The Age Good Food Guide 2024.
