The Metropolitan Hotel, Maitland reopens under new ownership

High Street's Metropolitan Hotel has reopened with new owners and a new look, boasting a dog-friendly front bar and a family focused anti-pokies approach.

Brothers Nick and Elliot Pogonoski took over the reins in September, and have opened the historic pub's doors with a few new changes while keeping its art deco character in tact.

Upgrades have included a stunning copper feature wall, classy timber bar top, a fresh coat of paint and carpet to soften things up.

The Pogonoskis are not new to the Hunter hospitality scene. Elliot is an owner at the Royal Crown Hotel, Dudley, and Nick has been a venue manager in many popular establishments including the Grain Store and Honeysuckle Hotel.

They said the vision for The Metropolitan is a classic inner-city, suburban corner pub.

"If you walk into it, you still know it's a pub but it has that bar element to it where you get nice cocktails, nice food," Nick said.

"We'll still do meat raffles, members specials and will be involved in the sporting community."

The brothers' Maitland roots run deep. In fact, their great, great, great grandfather Kasmir Pogonoski worked right across the road at The Mercury during the late 1800s as a compositor.

The Metropolitan itself has a long history, being originally built in 1872 and rebuilt in 1942, and is a rare example of French art deco architecture in Maitland.

The new menu features pub classics, burgers, salads, pasta, share plates and kids meals, and it's open seven days a week.

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