The Lismore Workers Club is arguably the most anticipated reopening of any building, council-owned or privately owned since the February 2022 big flood closed it down due to unprecedented damage.

The countdown is well and truly on, as Monday, September 23, is the day when the doors will officially open to the public, which is less than two weeks away.

General Manager Stephen Bortolin gave the Lismore App a sneak peek at the work done and what needs to be completed before the 23rd.

As you would expect, the decor on the ground floor entrance is stylish but simple, given the constant threat of major flooding. The layout upstairs is the same as it was pre-flood, with a refurbished look and feel.

The carpet on the first floor is themed around the river system in the Northern Rivers.

"We thought we would theme it around the Northern Rivers because we got flooded. All the carpet is designed for us, so this is actually custom-made for us. No, no one else has got it," Stephen explained.

He points to a decal on a short window and says, "The decal on the windows is all river system. Again, that's designed just for us."

The river system carpet moves into the bistro area, with what Stephen describes as rain cloud lighting continuing the theme.

(The NRs river system carpet and rain cloud lighting in the Bistro area. The new pizza and pasta bar will be to the left)

The kitchen at the back of the room has not changed, but there is now booth seating, tables and chairs, and a new dining option. This is one of Stephen's favourite parts of the rebuild.

"We introduced another eatery, a pizza and pasta bar," Stephen added. "This is all brand new. It's not quite finished yet; there's still a bit more to do. It's going to look like a shopfront with all the windows. So, woodfired pizza and a pasta and noodle bar.

"Our cooked-to-order meals, like a roast of the days and specials, will be the same as we had last time."

The main bar that services the Bistro has a fresh, modern look, as does the large auditorium bar. That room can hold 800 people and is the venue for the Lismore Workers Club live entertainment, such as the Boney M Experience and Marina Prior & Michael Cormick.

"We've got a little cafe here (near the main bar) with a little kitchenette at the back. So this will be meals right through from the time that we open until an hour before we close. It's an all-day breakfast offering, too."

The open hours have not been locked in yet, but Stephen hinted at starting with Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday - 9am to 9:30pm and getting progressively later as the weekend draws near.

For sports fans, the sports arena will be something to behold, with the largest screens in the Northern Rivers.

"This is all brand new as well," Stephen said, "This is probably one of the biggest in the Northern Rivers. I think Byron Bay's got one about five metres, but this is seven metres.

"We can change the configuration. We can change each screen to whatever sport people want to watch. If a patron wants to see the football, we can do it. Or the NRL or AFL. We can have one big screen or split it into two or three different screens quickly and easily."

The gaming area is pretty much unchanged apart from new carpet and new machines, but the automatic louvre system that allows for natural light and ventilation is impressive. The louvres are open until it rains when they close automatically the exhaust system kicks in.

Sometimes, it is the small things in life that impress you; think of the upgraded bathrooms at Lismore Square. The upgraded bathrooms and the parent's room at the Workers Club also have a clean, modern feel.

(The parent changeroom in the rebuilt Lismore Workers Club)

The investment for the Lismore Workers Club is going to be close to $15 million, but there was never a real moment when the club was not going to reopen.

"It's about the community, we're back for the community, not for us. I think, if we didn't do it, it would have been a shame because it's an icon of Lismore.

"Look, there was a lot of problems with council and builders and architects, and we've still got problems, but we're going to get it over the line. It's been hard. It's two and a half years of planning, and now it's come to the point that we're reopening. In some ways, it's scary, and in some ways it's exciting."

There will be no grand opening on Monday, September 23. Come 9am the doors will open, and the first patrons will walk through the door, swipe their card and make their way to the first floor.

Lismore will have its largest indoor venue back in operation. Year 12 Formals are coming up in November, and Trinity and Woodlawn have already booked the auditorium. Last year Trinity went to the Ballina RSL, this year the money stays in our LGA.

Until then, two truckloads of furniture will arrive this week to complete the flood rebuild. Staff will have a week of training next week to iron out the bugs and fully understand what they need to do. Keep in mind most of the staff will be new, never having worked in the Workers Club before.

"Virtually everything is ready to go. We have to wait to the last week to order our stock. That's the last week, and then we're ready to go."