Lifestyle & Entertainment
7 March, 2026
A year on, the Mess and Barracks continues to raise the bar
IT was a long time coming but the Mess and Barracks has certainly lived up to expectations since opening 12 months ago. The trendy venue in Barkly Street recently marked its first year in business with a promise of new and exciting things on the horizon.
The Mess and Barracks, or what was the old Court House Hotel, was transformed into a stylish new venue serving top local wines, woof fired pizza, tapas, coffee and cake.
The venue is an extension of the Ararat RSL and has an emphasis on providing a meeting space and accommodation for younger veterans to meet and socialise.
RSL Manager Maria Whitford said the venue has exceeded all expectations.
“We didn’t expect it to be so successful. We have certainly exceeded our expectations in terms of performance and I think we’ve added a nice piece of sophisticated, modern architecture to town.
Ms Whitford said the staff have been a key part of the venues success.
“Our coffee quality is amazing, I think Mason and Xavier and Lionel do an amazing job and Jackson is a great manager. He’s been doing it for 100 years and he has taken the pressure off me,” she said.
The Mess and Barracks is open from 6am to late Monday to Saturday and 8am to late on Sunday.
Read More: Ararat