Morven Pub - Round Hill hotel

10/06/2026

As my dad used to say, "you remember the value long after you've forgotten the price".

It's all about the experience, connections, conversations, community and getting away from your normal headspace. Call it respite, a sanity check, or an escape. Just don't call it too expensive- unless you genuinely can't afford it.

Thanks for saying it well, The Grumpy Landlord

Right.
Apparently, pubs are “too expensive.” 😬🥵💰

I hear it every day. 🤯

Usually from someone clutching a £6 artisan coffee, scrolling TikTok on a £1,200 phone, while explaining how £6 for a pint is daylight robbery. 💎

But sure. The pub is the problem. 👌

Let me explain this slowly…

You’re not paying £6 for “beer”! 🍺

You’re paying for an experience, for a community, for…

💸 The heating being on before you arrive.
💸 The lights staying on after you leave.
💸 The loos being scrubbed (you’re welcome).
💸 The glasses being washed.
💸 The staff being paid.
💸 The licences. The insurance. The rates. The tax.
💸 The little bite the card machine takes every single time you tap.
💸 And the fact that when the cellar floods at 11pm on a Tuesday… it’s me in wellies.

You’re not just buying a drink. 🍷

You’re renting a space to exist in public without being moved on. To socialise. To make friends. To feel welcome. To belong. ❤️

Go and sit in the middle of ASDA for three hours debating VAR and see how long that lasts. Try getting banter from a self-checkout. 😅

Pubs aren’t competing with supermarket booze. 🛒

We’re competing with the idea that community should be free. 🏘️❤️

And here’s the bit I find fascinating…

The same people who mourn “the death of the British pub” are the ones who treat us like overpriced off-licences. 🍾

We don’t sell beer. 🍺

We sell:
👉 First dates that turned into marriages.
👉 Wakes where the real stories came out.
👉 “Ok, just one” that became the best night of the year.
👉 Somewhere to decompress when the world’s had enough of you and you’ve had enough of the world.

We sell a place to not be alone. 🫂

If you want cheap: stay on your sofa with a four-pack of lukewarm cans 🛋️🥵🍻

But PLEASE don’t confuse low cost with value! 🤷‍♂️

Anyway, I’ll be over here - overcharging for heating, chairs, and human interaction. 🔥🪑🤗

Tag a mate who needs to stop being a tight-arse and buy a round! You know the one. 😂👇

05/06/2026

Inaugural members of the celebrating a day ending in "Y".

05/06/2026

"Oh my wordy Lordy, we've got some work to do!" But we've also already done a 'shed load'.

I thought I'd share an update of what we are working on, which is just part of one of the more than 50 (so far) episodes that we've shot, of our journey in renovating the Morven Pub - Round Hill hotel and restoring it back to its former glory of the last 160+ years.

I'm letting you all in on a little 'secret sauce' here, despite my concerns that others might try to copy what we are doing.

And yet, a wise mentor of mine, Neville Christie, reminded me that "they can copy what you do, but they can't copy what you learned to successfully implement it". So at the risk of Deb giving me curry, here's an 'inside update' on the

06/05/2026

The Morven Hotel in 1957, almost solitary in Morven for almost 100 years, since 1862. ( It would be another 50+ years before any houses arrived in Morven). The pub had changed its name from the Bridge Hotel back in 1897.

In 1959 the name was changed to Round Hill Hotel.

Note the picket fence and small amount of cast iron trimming, which will both come back in a big way shortly.

More history about the Morven Pub - Round Hill hotel ill follow shortly.

05/05/2026

Definitely appreciating Shane Jacobson 's new show about buying & renovating a pub. His mantra of "change nothing, improve everything" has been at the top of my mind on our journey too. (Although we've had to add "fix everything" as well).

It's not a journey for the feint of heart, as we are already $1m over budget on works done at Morven Pub - Round Hill hotel , mostly in restorative & remedial works.

We thought long & hard about whether to start sharing our own 2 years of video footage, but the plan was always to share that when we relaunch, regardless of external factors, so we'll stay with that.

But every challenge & obstacles we've had, that Shane has also been encountering, especially that of staying operational whilst renovating, brought a small smile to my face.

And (paint brush in hand), I'll continue to follow his journey with interest, even as we continue to make great progress in our country escapade of renovating our own "grand old lady". Cheers, Dan & Deb.

When Aussie comedy legend Shane Jacobson bought a rural Victorian pub without ever seeing it in person, he thought it would be an exciting new challenge. Known for his role in Kenny, Jacobson wasn’t afraid of risk, having successfully renovated homes before. But this decision would test him in ways he never expected.

Alongside longtime friend Dean Murphy, he purchased the iconic Dederang Hotel — a beloved country pub at the heart of a tight-knit farming community. The idea came casually through an email, but quickly turned into a life-changing commitment neither of them fully understood at the time.

What followed was far from easy. Managing a full renovation while keeping the pub running proved overwhelming. Despite his previous experience, Jacobson admitted the project was “so much harder” than expected, with constant pressure, unexpected challenges, and the reality of running a business pushing him to his limits.

Their journey is now being documented in the new TV series Oops! I Bought A Pub on Channel 7, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the highs and lows — from the spontaneous purchase to the daily grind of keeping the doors open.

For Jacobson, the project became about more than just business. In small towns like Dederang, the local pub is the heart of the community — a place where farmers and locals gather after long, exhausting weeks, celebrate milestones, and support one another. Keeping that spirit alive became a powerful motivator.

Taking over a venue with a 30-year legacy also came with pressure. Balancing tradition with necessary improvements wasn’t easy, but Jacobson says their guiding principle became: “Change nothing, improve everything.” It was about preserving the pub’s character while ensuring it could continue to serve the community into the future.

In the end, despite the struggles, Jacobson believes the challenge was worth it. As he reflects on the experience, one thing stands out — the hardest journeys often bring the greatest sense of pride.

30/04/2026

This is what the Morven Pub - Round Hill hotel main bar actually looked like in 1959, some 65+ years ago, before the 'horseshoe bar' setup.

The publican is in the picture is Octavious Chaffey, who renamed the then Morven Hotel (which had been that for 60+ years) to the 'Round Hill Hotel'. The pub remained in the Chaffey Family for almost 30 years, before being taken over & run by Roger Baker for around 20 yrs.

The bar itself was extremely small; only about 12' long; just room enough for 5 people jammed together at the barfront.

The window behind leads into what was then the ladies lounge, and that wall and the other on the right were later removed to create the much loved horseshoe shape.

Note the 2" mahogany benchtops & antique white lining boards on the bar, which are soon to be making a return.

29/04/2026

What the Morven Pub - Round Hill hotel might very wellhave looked like 100 years ago?

(Yes, the bar was smaller and on the other wall, but it's a good AI representation)

Our mission is to restore it back to its former glory, and make it look brand new 100 years ago... perhaps a little like this?

What do you think?

27/04/2026

Part 2 of the Albury Legacy - "Why Legacy matters to me, and my crazy family connection to the local area"."

You haven't seen hardly anything our bold vision yet, & now it's time to put the hammer down. "More live music, & its Morven youd expect" is our next mission.

More short videos will also start showing up as we start get ready to share the video series soon, ....but i wont tell you the name yet - its a secret ;-).

Bless you all, Dan & Deb

ps, if you don't know who the Von Trapp kids are, think "Sound of Music" movie)

27/04/2026

The Albury Legacy charity ride visited us 2 days ago. Here's Part 1,- Why it matters & what we learned.

(This is a small but important part of our long 2 yr journey, for which we've already got the first 2 seasons of our video series, "in the can")

Following shortly is Part 2 - "Why Legacy matters to me personally, and my crazy family connection to the local area".
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1CMZT643Dy/
Ps, bloopers left in & unedited.
Thanks Party Unlimited Clubhouse ☺️

26/04/2026

Had a great time yesterday, hosting the charity ride for Albury Legacy . Over 240 bikes showed up, & we are happy (Morven happy) to have them.

All up, more than 350 ppl enjoyed the great music from Colston & Gordy. We thought the day went generally well, thanks to all the peeple that helped & supported us to get the ebent up & running (& we had some great learning lessons too).

We liked the idea of An "Autumn Saturday session" with live music, and are seriously considering continuing it. In the meantime, enjoy the video. Cheers, Dan & Deb