Lismore will get its first Rolls Royce courtesy car soon as the Durheim's introduce the vehicle to patrons of the recently renovated Northern Hotel.

The Lismore App sat down with Tony Durheim to get an update as the Northern has completed another two phases of the five-phase renovation.

Phase one and two were the beer garden and bottle shop which opened in late November. Phase three was the two public bars, the main bar and what is commonly called the speedway bar. They both opened last Thursday.

(Tony Durheim with Briony Clarkson, the main bar staff in the new main bar)

(What is commonly called the Speedway bar, next to the Main bar)

Phase four was the upstairs accommodation which has the beds and furniture arriving today and ready to house the first wave of Casino Meat Workers.

Phase five, and the final phase, will be the kitchen. Tony said this is approximately three weeks away.

"We're still waiting for a few freezes and whatnot but we're close. We could probably open it in a pinch, but we'll say three weeks. We have two chefs to meet this afternoon to sort out details and introduce themselves to each other."

As for the menu?

"I think keep it simple and keep the prices pretty competitive and reasonable. It will be normal pub grub like schnitzels and steaks."

The Rolls Royce courtesy car may be joined by an old Lincoln stretch limo, so two beautiful old cars ferrying patrons around the streets of Lismore and Goonellabah. The Lincoln has yet to be finalised but is looking promising.

"The Rolls is a novelty. No one would have ever been in one of those around here."

Then there is the sporting memorabilia that adorn the walls of the Northern Hotel in the coming weeks thanks to Anthony George, another local Lismore boy. Tony was describing memorabilia from four codes so rugby league, rugby union, AFL and cricket from the likes of John Eales, the Honeybadger and more.

(The new dining room is set up waiting for the kitchen to open with the two large King and Queen chairs in the corner)

When asked to summarise the journey the family has taken since taking on such a massive renovation with no pub experience, Tony said you have to be proud of what they have achieved.

"Halfway through the thing James and I looked at each other one day and said are we ever going to finish this bloody thing (laughs). "

"It's just taking a long time because there's just so much work. You just don't realise the little thing that costs all the money, the little things that I don't think of like the stainless steel under the beer font. You've got to have them and they've done a fantastic job with them but you wouldn't know those costs when you're doing the budget."

Apart from the hard work Tony and his team has put into the Northern to get it looking like it is, what is the public feedback?

"They love it. People are saying it's the best the pubs ever looked. Some people that have been here for many years, said they've never seen the place looking so good. So everyone's pretty happy."

"I don't know if there's anything I would have done differently but time will tell."