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Melbourne`s Former Gasometer Hotel to Reopen as Smith St Hotel
July2
The former Gasometer Hotel in Melbourne`s Collingwood district is set to reopen later this month as the Smith St Hotel, with independent promoter and festival organiser Yours And Owls leading the venue`s live music programming.
The legendary venue closed in March 2026 after operating for decades as one of Melbourne`s best-known grassroots live music venues. The site has been redeveloped under the ownership of Melbourne chef and restaurateur Scott Pickett, whose hospitality portfolio includes Smith Street Bistro and Longrain.
Despite the change in ownership and branding, the venue will continue operating as a live music space. According to the announcement, Yours And Owls will curate a programme featuring both Australian and international touring artists while maintaining a focus on emerging local talent.
"We`re a live music venue, with great food and drinks," Pickett said in a statement, emphasising that the venue`s focus will remain on live entertainment rather than repositioning as a traditional gastropub.
Yours And Owls founder Ben Tillman said the company was looking forward to building on the venue`s history and helping re-establish it as a key destination for live music in Melbourne.
The venue occupies the site of the former Gasometer Hotel, which traced its history back to 1860 and became an established fixture of Melbourne`s live music circuit. The previous operators announced the venue`s closure in early 2026 after unsuccessful attempts to secure a new operating agreement with the building owners.
The Smith St Hotel is scheduled to relaunch its live music programme with the three-day Smith St Hotel Weekender, beginning on 24 July, featuring performances from Mouseatouille, Garage Sale, Bananagun, Romy Vager, Milly Strange and additional artists.
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