Melbourne’s iconic Tote Hotel will reopen its doors this weekend.
Tonight the venue will host an invite-only launch for media and friends of The Tote where they are expected to announce all the mysterious details that have been the subject of rumour for over a month now, including lineups and what name they will trade under.It will also be the first look many get of the changes to the pub, including new carpet and some structural changes, but new owners Seventh Tipple have bought many of the old posters and have worked hard to keep the charm of the venue.
They will also show a preview of the long coming Tote Documentary.
It is understood that former owner Bruce Milne has reached an "agreement in principle" with new licensees Seventh Tipple, meaning it will most likely continue to be called The Tote.
The venue closed down in January after financial troubles generally blamed on liquor licensing laws that saw the venue fall under a "high risk" category.
The pub's closure was the final straw for Melbourne's music lovers and resulted in a protest in which over 10,000 fans showed up to support Melbourne's live music scene.
Undercover will be at the launch tonight and will bring you all the details tomorrow.
The makers of the Tote Doco are seeking funding to get it completed. If you care to donate, you can do so through their MySpace page (hint: look for the PayPal link under the media player).
Here is a link to a preview from 2007 (yes, it has been THAT long coming):
Follow the author Tim Cashmere on Twitter.
