Established On Location

Nostalgia ruled in the refurbishment of revered live band hotel the Espy as St Kilda locals watched on. The result? Four storeys thronging with flocks of satisfied patrons.

- Carli Philips

Uniformed staff at Hotel Esplanade are clad in stripes of their choice: Bengal, collegiate, seersucker, candy. It’s a nod to the beachside behemoth where many staff would be too young to recall the gritty institution at its zenith, revered for its live music and ‘anything goes’ vibe.

For the last three years Sand Hill Road has been restoring the tired venue to its former glory, saving the Espy with a gut and re-fit with long-time collaborators Techne Architecture + Interior Design. It’s the holy grail for the seasoned publicans who themselves were regulars. “It was the biggest and best and coolest pub you could ever go to,” says Sand Hill Road co-founder Andy Mullins, who lived nearby in the 90s.