Castlepoint’s iconic Whakataki Pub is up for sale, and locals and visitors alike will have to forego their beers until a new owner is found.
Owner Raewyn Voice said that after 12 years, they were ready to retire.
“We’ve just come out of retirement to renovate the place, it’s got eight bedrooms and five cabins.
“Now it’s ready for someone young to come in and take over.”
The hotel is still operating as a bed and breakfast with the pub serving overnight guests, but Voice said she doesn’t have the staff to open to everyone.
“We’re so busy.
“We can’t feed the whole of Castlepoint, Wellington and Palmerston North.
“We’re open for the guests, but that’s about all I can manage on my own.”
PGG Wrightson real estate agent Ken Scott said the Whakataki pub was one of the only businesses in the area people could visit.
“It’s been there since the cowboys – it’s the heart of the community.
“Now we’re just looking forward to getting it a new owner.”
Scott said the owners had done a “fantastic job” on the renovations.
“It’s very popular, it’s on the must-do list when people come out here.
“We’ve had quite a bit of interest, but it’s difficult times with banks not lending.
“It has endless potential possibilities, people can really run it the way they want to.”
Locals spoken to by Times-Age reflected on weddings, parties and events centred around the pub.
“We had greyhounds and took the dogs to the beach because there was no one else there,” one local said.
“Well the weather was really crap, so we pulled up to the pub and they had the wood burner going so we could dry out.
“It was special because there are not many places you can bring in a dog.”
Tinui resident Caryl Forrest said the best part of the business was the fact that it had a lot of accommodation, including camping sites, and a nice garden.
“There was always someone playing pool and a few locals and a dining room.
“You could always have a good feed there and you used to be able to rely on it when everything else was closed for a good fish and chips – it was absolutely laden with food for farmers and the like.”
“It filled a niche in the community.”
The property is on the market with an asking price of $1.2 million.
Additional reporting by Mary Argue.
