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Old-school Footscray Hotel shuns developers to help those doing it tough
BY ELIAS CLURE
UPDATED FRI MAR 03 09:16:49 EST 2017
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Footscray hotel Sharon Kanna the manager of the Footscray hotel and the longest tenant
PHOTO Sharon Kanna is manager of the Footscray Hotel and its longest tenant.
ABC NEWS: MARGARET BURIN
The owner of a popular pub in Melbourne's western suburbs has turned down six offers to sell in six months because many of his tenants would have nowhere else to go.
Footscray Hotel owner Brian Kramer has been opening the doors of the gritty pub to people from broken homes and tough backgrounds for the past seven years.
Some rent a room at the hotel and some work the bar in exchange for cheaper accommodation.
Brian says he has recently been fielding lucrative six-figure offers to sell his 10-year lease to developers, including an offer of a cash payment promised within days.
Footscray hotel owner Brian Kramer
PHOTO Owner Brian Kramer says when developers make him an offer he tells them he is not interested.
ABC NEWS: MARGARET BURIN
"I don't look at them [the offers]. I might get tempted, but I can't leave this place," Brian says.
"We're all a family here. We all help each other out."
The hotel is in the heart of the working-class western suburb, which is quickly becoming a gentrified property hotspot.
The developers' proposals range from transforming it into a swanky upmarket bistro to demolition.
Footscray hotel resident Johnny plays pool
PHOTO Footscray Hotel resident Johnny plays pool with some pub regulars.
ABC NEWS: MARGARET BURIN
Pub resident Johnny says Brian's support has helped him keep his life on track after he spent years in and out of jail and fighting drug addiction.
"I wouldn't be here [without Brian]," he tells the ABC in the beer garden of the pub, which is surrounded by construction sites.
"Look at all the developments going up," loyal pub manager and longest tenant Sharon says.
"They want to turn this into something hipster and yuppie but we want to keep it old school."
Sharon says her daughter often stays at the hotel with her, and even calls Brian "dad".
"Sometimes I don't see my family as much as I'd want to, but they come here so it's good," she says.
Footscray Hotel
PHOTO The Footscray Hotel, which sits among new housing developments, has resisted gentrification.
ABC NEWS: MARGARET BURIN
This is much more than a place to crash.
Brian also provides financial and emotional support.
"If I had all the money people owed me I'd probably have a new car, but I'm too old for a Porsche. I'd probably break my neck," he laughs.
"Some people come here off the streets but they come in here and they're safe.
Footscray hotel resident Dasher
PHOTO Dasher is another resident of the pub who was formerly a champion boxer.
ABC NEWS: MARGARET BURIN
"Company, security, family we provide the whole lot. This becomes their family."
The unofficial rule is "no wankers", so Brian's tenants feel safe.
"Look at this," he says as he opens one of the unlocked bedroom doors.
"We don't lock our doors here, we don't put up with people who want to come in here and steal stuff."
Footscray Hotel residents say they look out for each other.
PHOTO Residents say they look out for each other.
ABC NEWS: MARGARET BURIN
'Wherever you're from we don't care'
Every Christmas, Brian puts on a big feed for his pub family and he also organises birthday parties for the tenants and regular customers.
He has a loyal band of customers from all walks of life and even attracts heroes of the western suburbs such as Western Bulldogs premiership player Tom Liberatore.
'Libba', who is a particular fan of the pub's resident dog, Shugga (pronounced sugar), says pubs like the Footscray Hotel mean a lot to the community.
Western Bulldogs player Tom Liberatore at the Footscray Hotel in March 2017
PHOTO Western Bulldogs player Tom Liberatore often stops in to visit.
ABC NEWS: ELIAS CLURE
"When I walk into pubs like this, I feel at home," he says over a quiet drink.
The variety of people is one of the things Brian loves about this lifestyle.
"Every day is different," he says.
"We welcome everyone, some nights we have a bar full of punks, the other night it's people coming here after the footy.
"Gay, straight, wherever you're from we don't care."
Footscray H2otel typical room
PHOTO Brian Kramer says when people miss making a rent payment he tries to help them where possible.
ABC NEWS: MARGARET BURIN
Suburban Australian pubs like this are becoming rare, as owners receive offers that are too good to refuse.
Brian says he is scared that a big offer from a developer could lure him to change his mind, but he is not ready to give up on the pub.
"I'll give it away when my lease is up," he says.
"We'll all be old then anyway."
As Johnny shudders at the thought of where he would be without the pub, the bar pipes up.
Caylee, a regular, says: "You'd be with us Johnny."
"We're not going anywhere, mate," Brian assures him.
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