Bells Hotel

What Bells Hotel does

Bells Hotel is an independently owned hospitality venue located at 157 Moray Street, South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1874 as Freer's Family Hotel and renamed in 1935 when publican Annie Bell took over the licence, the venue has operated continuously for over 150 years. It operates as a multi-space entertainment precinct combining a traditional pub, full-service restaurant (46 seats), multiple bars including a dedicated sports bar (Annie's Bar), and ten distinct function spaces capable of hosting groups from 8 to 500 guests. The flagship Main Hall is a rooftop venue with a retractable roof and Melbourne CBD skyline views, complemented by additional rooms such as the Hennessy Room, Rooftop Bar, Lady Kaye garden, Parlour Bar, Private Dining, and Ante Room.

The business generates revenue through three primary streams: food and beverage sales (pub menu, Express Lunch at A$25, Happy Hour A$8 drinks Mon-Fri 3-6pm, and themed weekly specials such as Schnitzel Mondays and Parma Thursdays at A$25); functions and events (corporate functions, weddings, birthdays, Christmas parties with customized quote-based catering and beverage packages); and live sports viewing across multiple screens. Pricing is unit-based for F&B and bespoke quote-based for functions, with a 10% public holiday surcharge and A$50 cakeage fee. The venue trades 10am-4am daily, with the kitchen open 11:30am-9pm.

The technology stack is minimal and non-proprietary: a Squarespace website, Tripleseat for event inquiry management, QR code table ordering, and standard social media (Instagram @BellsHotel). Customer acquisition relies on local word-of-mouth, Instagram, email newsletter, and organic SEO targeting South Melbourne pub and Melbourne function venue keywords. Bells Hotel has no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, no app, no public funding, and no parent company — it operates as a privately held, single-location Australian hospitality business.

Name

Bells Hotel

Legal name

Bells Hotel

Website

https://bellshotel.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1874

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bells Hotel is an independently owned, 150-year-old South Melbourne pub operating a 10-space entertainment precinct. It serves casual diners, corporate function clients, and celebration hosts with pub meals, multiple bars, live sport, and event venues for 8-500 guests.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospitality Services

NAICS

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410), Food Services and Drinking Places (722), Caterers (722320)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Neighborhood & Sports Bars (THAFAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hotel & Resort Restaurants (THAFACAH), Rooftop Bars & Outdoor Nightlife Venues (MPAGAIAF), Wedding & Social Event Catering (THAHAKAE)

Keywords

• Pub food service
• Function venue hire
• Event catering
• Live sports bar
• Weekly food specials

Headquarters

HQ city

South Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Food and Beverage Sales: Core revenue from selling food and beverages including pub meals, steaks, parmas, burgers, craft beers, wines, spirits, cocktails, and non-alcoholic options. Revenue is generated through table service, bar service, and QR code ordering.
2. Functions and Events: Revenue from hosting private events including corporate events, weddings, engagement parties, birthday celebrations, conferences, and meetings. Income from function space hire, catering packages, beverage packages, and bar tabs. Group sizes range from 8 to 500 guests across 10 function spaces.
3. Specials and Promotions: Weekly food specials including Schnitzel Mondays, Burger Tuesdays, Steak Wednesdays, Parma Thursdays, and Sunday Roasts at $25-28 price points. Happy Hour promotions Monday to Friday 3-6pm generating revenue through discounted beverages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bells Hotel is a traditional South Melbourne pub offering food and beverage service (pub classics such as schnitzels, parmas, steaks, burgers, plus craft beers, wines, spirits and cocktails), function and event hosting across ten distinct spaces for groups of 8-500 guests, and live sports viewing across AFL, NRL, NBA, UFC and international events. The venue combines casual counter meals and a la carte dining with corporate functions, weddings, engagement parties, birthday celebrations, conferences and Christmas parties, supported by weekly themed food specials and a weekday Happy Hour.

Product overview

Bells Hotel is an independently owned South Melbourne pub offering a multi-space hospitality venue combining traditional pub dining, live sport entertainment, and premium event spaces. The core offering includes nine distinct function spaces (Main Hall rooftop, Rooftop Bar, Hennessy Room, Hennessy Lane, Lady Kaye garden, Parlour Bar, Private Dining, Ante Room, and Restaurant) accommodating groups from 8-500 guests. Food and beverage services encompass a full pub menu, Express Lunch program, Happy Hour promotions, and weekly specials. The venue also operates Annie's Bar as a dedicated sports bar for live event screening. All spaces can be booked individually or together for exclusive venue hire.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Main Hall Flagship rooftop event space with retractable roof, private laneway entrance and lift access, featuring Melbourne city skyline views. Accommodates up to 200 standing or 160 seated guests and is suited to corporate events, weddings and large-scale celebrations.
• Rooftop Bar

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• PJ O'Brien's: Iconic Melbourne CBD multi-level pub with extensive function hire across multiple rooms, classic pub food menu, and full bar service. Comparable inner-Melbourne multi-space pub competing for the same function and casual trade.
• The Toff in Town: Melbourne CBD multi-level venue with restaurant, bar and rooftop spaces offering private events. Comparable boutique multi-space Melbourne venue with function and corporate event focus.
• The Corner Hotel: Established Richmond multi-level pub offering food, beverage, live sport and private function hire. Comparable as a long-standing Melbourne pub with multi-purpose venue layout and similar event-driven revenue mix.
• The Crafty Squire: Melbourne CBD pub with multiple distinct spaces including rooftop, restaurant and function areas serving food, craft beer and spirits. Comparable in offering a multi-space Melbourne pub with combined dining, drinking and event hire.
• The Mitre Tavern: Historic Melbourne pub operating since 1868 with classic pub menu and event hosting. Comparable heritage inner-Melbourne pub competing for similar traditional pub trade and small/medium private events.
• Garden State Hotel: Multi-level Melbourne CBD pub and function venue with several distinct event spaces, comparable food/beverage menu structure, and live sports programming. Directly comparable as a multi-space heritage-style Melbourne pub competing for the same corporate and social function bookings.
• Hotel Esplanade (The Espy): St Kilda multi-venue hospitality precinct combining pub dining, live music, rooftop bar and private event spaces. Comparable multi-space venue with similar food, beverage, sports and function mix and similar inner-south Melbourne geography.
• Young & Jackson's: Heritage Melbourne pub (established 1861) on the corner of Flinders and Swanston Streets with significant function/event business. Directly comparable historic inner-Melbourne pub leveraging heritage status for events trade.
• The Imperial Hotel Bourke St: Heritage Melbourne CBD pub offering pub dining, sports viewing and function spaces across multiple levels. Comparable historic inner-Melbourne pub combining F&B, live sport and private events.

Broad incumbents

• ALH Group (Australian Leisure and Hospitality): Largest Australian pub operator, part of Endeavour Group, with 340+ venues nationally. Broader incumbent in the same industry offering overlapping food, beverage and function services, but as part of a national portfolio rather than Bells Hotel's single independent asset.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/bellshotel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bells-hotel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bells Hotel