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It's been closed since July, and now the new-look Duxton in O'Connor is almost ready to re-open its doors. The popular watering hole will keep its name but has been all but gutted to make the most of the existing space, with a few new offerings added. Downstairs is completely restructured, and the kitchen that once split the space in two has been removed. One end houses a giant wrap-around bar, that travels half of the venue, and the the other end has a new kitchen, which is four times the size of the old version, plus a large dining space. The bar has more than 50 taps with a huge focus on Canberra beers Pact, Bentspoke, Capital Brewing, and even some of The Duxton's own beers, brewed up in the Hunter Valley. They will have a Duxton Cider and Duxton Pale on the taps for summer. The front area will remain as a sports bar with televisions, a TAB and possibly a pool table. It will flow onto the main dining area and the former downstairs courtyard will operate as a more family-friendly section. Upstairs The Loft, which has continued to trade throughout the renovations, will remain as a cocktail bar and restaurant. An exciting new addition is the rooftop terrace, complete with fake grass and a retractable roof, which sits upstairs next to the existing function room. It will be open from Wednesday to Sunday for drinks. Glass-topped benches allow ample light to flow through to the semi-outdoor courtyard below. General manager David Quinn said the renovations were the biggest change to the venue since it took over from All Bar Nun five years ago. "What we really wanted to do was open it up so it was one fluid venue. What we set out to achieve when we started was to really keep the integrity of that front bar, All Bar Nun-style venue so you can come in for your sports and your burger. And as it continues around it turns into more of a family bistro dining area," he said. Local architects Capezio Copeland were tasked with revamping the space, and looked to the local area for inspiration. The weatherboard, green tiles and Canberra red bricks are a nod to some of the original O'Connor houses. Fergus McGhie from Mount Majura Vineyard was brought in to write the new wine list, which will focus on accessible but higher quality varieties. The list includes an all Australian lineup of drops, plus a bottle of French Champagne, and will focus on the standout varieties in each region. Downstairs is where meals will be available all day, and executive chef James Privett was brought on board to create the new menu. The Sydney-based chef has worked for a large number of pubs in Sydney including The Glenmore, The Cut Bar & Grill, Bondi Hardware and Bistro Moncur, and it's his first foray into the Canberra hospitality scene. He said the menu has all of your pub classics. "It's about not reinventing what people expect from The Duxton, but kind of building on it and giving people more reason to come here more often." Part of the menu will be focussed around a new, large rotisserie which will be on display in the front of the kitchen. The team is also incorporating the final piece of the building to The Duxton family - takeaway store Flatheads. The business previously closed in 2012, and has been empty ever since. "We found a real demand to reintroduce the takeaway. A lot of the locals and regulars always wanted this back. We thought it was silly to leave it vacant," said Quinn. "So we're going to reintroduce that old-school takeaway with a modern spin on it. So you can go in there for fish and chips and burgers and pizzas." The Duxton is scheduled to re-open in late October.

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