HSA July 2023

P U B L I C A N P R O F I L E
Allen serving a customer at Belair Hotel bottleshop.
A RISK - BUT NO REWARD
Undeterred, the Cassins decided
to fly solo for the first time.
In a bold move, the enterprising
couple took on the lease at the Kent
Hotel, Port Adelaide, which would
later become the Port Anchor.
The Cassins’ memories of that
gruelling venture are testament to
just how family-friendly hotels have
become in recent decades.
Daniel: “Mum’s told me a couple of
times they were scared for their life.”
Gina: “My body shakes when I think
about it.”
Allen: “There were a lot of rough
patrons that frequented the hotel,
so much so the police wanted to
put hidden cameras around the bars
and stuff like that. I said, ‘will this
be shown in court when you charge
these people?’ and they said, ‘yes’
and I said, ‘well that puts our family
in a little bit of bother’.”
Gina: “One day, I looked out the
window and a ladder appeared
in front of me and this guy was
climbing up the ladder and heading
for our room so we pushed the
ladder away.”
Within 18 months, the Cassins
had seen enough.
“It wasn’t our lifestyle,” Allen said.
“We probably lost money there but
it was something that wasn’t us.”
So, like the Colts’ abandonment
of Baltimore in the dead of night
in March, 1984, Allen and Gina set
path for their own Indianapolis,
without notice.
Quite simply, anywhere would do.
“The day we left,” Gina said, “we
snuck out the door, no goodbye
party. Nothing.”
That anywhere became the Marion
Hotel where they worked and lived
upstairs – and where they had baby
Daniel, who is now 32.
Those modest digs were soon
upgraded in the form of the
penthouse on the fifth floor of the
Arkaba when Allen was appointed
manager of the Hurley Group’s
latest acquisition.
Allen & Peter
Hurley at
Belair Hotel.
A NORTH EAST ADVENTURE
Their biggest break and arguably
most prudent decision was now
within sight.
In time, the leaseholds for both
the Hackney Hotel and the Golden
Grove Tavern became available.
“Mum always tells me she didn’t
even know where Golden Grove
was,” Daniel said.
But if Allen didn’t know, he made
sure to find out.
“We felt it was a growth area,” he said.
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