by Greg Martin

Tommy Sewell was such a good bloke throughout his long life , that on his passing , he would have caught an elevator up on high – he left us in 2018 after a life truly well-lived .

If you believe in the ever-after , you can bet London to a Brick that he is up there , happy as Larry ( whomever he was ) watching the new owners transforming his beloved old pub at Vineyard into one of Sydney ’ s premier hotels .

Such is the high regard the owners have for Tommy , they invited his four daughters , Karin , Janice , Sue and Robyn , to the hotel for a meeting to inform them of the huge changes being made to the dad ’ s beloved watering-hole .

All four were delighted with the plans outlined to them .

“ Dad would be proud of his legacy living ,” Janice said .

Tommy built the Tourmaline Hotel ( named after his outstanding racehorse , King Tourmaline ) and became its mine host in 1973 when – and this is no exaggeration – 10,000 people flocked to the grand opening .

Over the years since Tommy sold the hotel in 1980 , it has had a name change and several renovations .

The new owners had already given the hotel a superb makeover but in recent months work has been well underway in transforming it into a venue to suit all tastes and ages .

Especially for those of us who have a passion for live music !

And great food and friendly ( and very competent ) service !

The new extensions on the northern

side of the hotel are extensive and cater for everyone !

Tommy ’ s Café – the current owners have great respect for history and Tommy Sewell – will be open from 6am , there ’ s a huge outdoor beer garden , new bistro and bar and a giant kid ’ s playground that will be opening in December .

Oh , not to mention the Live Music

Lawn ! OK , let ’ s mention it ! There ’ ll be a huge stage installed on the extensive lawn and musos from near and far will be invited to do their thing and entertain those of us who love live performances . And don ’ t we all ? Work on the extensions is progressing at warp speed ( slight exaggeration ) and will be completed in time for a grand opening on Saturday , September 21 .

And what a day to remember that will be !

The festivities begin on Saturday 21st September with the launch of Tommy ’ s Café opening at 6am , with the first 100 people through the door to get a free coffee .

And then from midday , let the music begin with a lineup of Sydney ’ s finest live music artists performing from midday all day through to 10pm . “ What about the kids ?” you ask . Between 1pm-3pm the young ’ uns will get the opportunity to rub shoulders with Frozen ’ s Elsa the Snow Queen , and between midday and 2pm there will be a petting zoo for the kids to enjoy with all their favourite farm animals including pony rides . Yep , truly a day to remember – and remember to put Saturday , September 21 in your diary .