A GRAND, old week in Millicent will reach new heights tomorrow as the town is beamed across the nation as part of Channel 9’s Today Show broadcast.
The breakfast program’s weather segments will be filmed from the town’s central business district, with the Grand Hotel hosting film crews from 5.30am.
It is not the only spotlight to fall on the George Street business this week, with the establishment selected as one of six winners to receive a $50,000 grant through a national Airbnb-backed competition.
The massive week will be capped off on Saturday with the Millicent Business Community Association’s night of nights, the outstanding business awards.
Speaking to The South Eastern Times yesterday, association president Lee Morgan said Millicent had a lot to be proud of.
“Things are starting to turn around and there is a good vibe and a sense of positivity in the town,” he said.
“We already had national exposure on the ABC last weekend with the new skate park mural.”
The latest coup for the town is the Grand Hotel’s success in the Airbnb Country Pubs Project, with the $50,000 to be spent on renovating the upstairs rooms to make the venue an accommodation destination for visitors.
“It’s not only going to benefit the hotel, but it’s really going to benefit the whole district,” licensee Andrew Palmer said.
“With the hotel being in the centre of Millicent as well, it will give people an opportunity to explore what we (the region) have to offer.”
The Grand Hotel edged out around 9000 other entries to be one of the winners, with Mr Palmer praising duty manager Leeandra Worrell and the wider community for their support.
“Leeandra was the driving force behind it and got people involved, she started it all before I even took on the licence,” Mr Palmer said, having become the licensee on July 4.
“And with the community’s backing, it really speaks for itself. This is an iconic hotel that has been standing for the past 120 years and it has a wealth of history behind it.”
The Grand Hotel’s biggest claim to fame to date is its reputation for being the most haunted hotel in the South East and Mr Palmer has known the Grand to have frequent visits from paranormal investigators in the past.
“There have been many investigations, but in reality, I have never really experienced anything,” Mr Palmer said.
“But there have been some people who have sensed ‘something’.”
The Grand’s reputation for having undead guests featured in the Airbnb marketing of its win, but Mr Palmer’s plans for the hotel’s renovations are more sophisticated than spooky.
“Considering its (the hotel’s age) the rooms upstairs are still in good nick and we’d just make cosmetic enhancements,” Mr Palmer said.
There are also plans in the future to have the balcony feature as a more social space, with a small bar area varnish on the wood.
Members of the public are encouraged to attend the venue tomorrow morning for the national television broadcast.
It is almost 25 years ago the Today Show presented the weather with Canunda National Park and Geltwood Beach as the backdrop.
Robe’s Long Beach was also shown on the national breakfast television show in a number of live-to-air telecasts in January, 2017.
