Justin Hemmes expands into Byron Bay with party icon Cheeky Monkey's

Popular Byron Bay nightlife hotspot Cheeky Monkey's Bar has been snapped up by Justin Hemmes' hospitality group Merivale, marking the company's expansion into the North Coast of New South Wales.

The property, which was previously owned by Red Rock Leisure and home to Cheeky Monkey's Bar and adjoining massage spa, will reopen as a restaurant and bar later this year.

Merivale CEO Hemmes says he has fond memories of the Byron Bay area, and is excited to see the company make a push into the region.

"I've been going to Byron since I was 10 years old, so it has always been a place close to my heart," says Hemmes.

"I can't wait to open our first venue on the North Coast and spend more time in the area.

"There's simply no place like it."

Merivale will receive the keys to the venue on 28 May, with further details about the future of the property to be unveiled in due course.

The company has not confirmed the acquisition price for the Cheeky Monkey's Bar property.

The acquisition is the latest in a string of acquisitions for Merivale, with recent deals seeing the company expand outside of its stronghold of Sydney.

Earlier this Merivale acquired The Lorne Hotel, an historic pub that has stood proudly on Victoria's Great Ocean Road for more than a century.

In April, the company announced it was expanding into Melbourne with the purchase of Tomasetti House, 277 Flinders Lane in the heart of the Victorian capital.

That acquisition marked Merivale's first expansion outside of NSW and the second outside of Sydney, following the purchase of The Quarterdeck, a popular waterfront restaurant in Narooma on the NSW south coast.

Consolidation of Merivale's footprint in Sydney has also been underway, with the recent purchase of Norton's Irish Pub in the Inner West suburb of Leichhardt. The company's portfolio in the area also includes Vic on the Park in Marrickville, Queens Hotel in Enmore, and 3 Weeds in Rozelle.