Published on 06/09/2023 by Any Business.Com.Au

Iconic Australian Music Venue Rolls onto the Market

We've probably all dreamed of owning our own bar, live entertainment establishment or traditional old pub at some point in our lives, but what about owning one of Australia's most unique music event venues?

Well if you have, this is your chance.

Established in 1994, the Bellarine Peninsula's world famous blues train has been wowing crowds with its incredible acts, exquisite local produce and amazing train experience, and now 'The Blues Train' could be yours.

After almost three decades at the helm, local music enthusiast and radio broadcaster Hugo T Armstrong has decided now is the time for a new entrepreneur to take over this special business and continue to meet the demand of the thousands of locals and visitors who flock to it each year.

Tom Wheeler of CRE Business Brokers, said it was probably no surprise to anyone that a business of this type was not often listed for sale.

"Given its uniqueness, we've had buyers far and wide approach us already," Mr Wheeler explained.

"We have had pub owners, live music venue owners and a wide range of people from the events industry right down to corporate professionals looking for a change of pace.

"Hugo has had it in his mind that he would sell the business for several years now and as such it does not need an owner with pub or music experience to operate. The support and structure is there for buyers from all walks to be able to run the blues train successfully," he added.

To date, The Blues Train has hosted hundreds of performances from acts from all over world including artists and entertainers from right across Australia, the US, Europe and Canada.

Mr Armstrong said not only had blues music evolved significantly over the past 30 years, but that The Blues Train had helped launch the careers of a number of now globally recognised blues artists.

"People's taste in music has become more broad over time. Blues music was not nearly as well known as it is now when we first started, but now with a number of music festivals operating around Australia and overseas, most people are more familiar now with what blues music is," he said.

"Lots of bands have gone on to fortune and fame after playing on The Blues Train. Acts like the Teskey Brothers, Mia Dyson, Lloyd Spiegel, plus many other international artists have played when they were touring Australia. People like Watermelon, Slim from New Orleans and Charlie Parr from the USA plus artists from Europe like CC Jarome have all been onboard.

"Perhaps more importantly though, everyone's a star on The Blues Train because people are able to get such an up close and personal experience of the incredible artists performing in a heritage train carriage - there's not many places where you can do that," Mr Armstrong added.

He said that after 30 years of doing the thing he loves, it was time for someone to step in, continue to improve on the product and capitalise on all the hard work that has gone in to ensuring the business has succeeded for so long.

"This is a business that survived the global financial crisis, plus the Covid pandemic and it needs to continue. It brings a huge amount of economic impact and stimulus to the region and supports the volunteer railway and the music industry, plus our local economy."

Mr Wheeler believes it will be important to find someone who is a good fit for the business, with an extensive amount of training and handover available to the lucky new purchaser.

Mr Armstrong added: "I'm hoping the new owners will be people with a passion for entertainment, those with fresh ideas and a commitment to continuing this iconic music venue. We want people who can continue to run the business long-term and we will support them in anyway we can to do so."

The Blues Train is being sold by Expressions of Interest - for more information click here.

AnyBusiness.com.au

Curtis is a leading expert in the business-for-sale industry, serving as a senior content creator at anybusiness.com.au.

With a career spanning over fifteen years, Curtis has accumulated extensive knowledge in the domain of business sales, acquisitions, and valuations. His deep understanding of market dynamics and his ability to translate complex industry jargon into accessible insights make him a trusted resource for entrepreneurs and business owners looking to buy or sell businesses.

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