Historic seaside tavern for sale again

INN TUNE: Will this music venue and popular local pub go for a song?

A waterside Northland pub with an unrivalled reputation as a music venue is for sale for the third time in four years but this time the Mangawhai Tavern is being offered lock, stock and barrel.

The lease and the property were listed for sale this week with Affiliated Business Consultants (ABC) at an asking price of $1,500,000 as a freehold going concern.

In December 2010, the lease was listed by owner Gillian Houser through the same company for an asking price of $695,000, plus stock. In October 2011, Ms Houser advertised the lease for sale again. This time, both that lease and the property owned by another party were for sale, agent Murray Kidd said.

The two-storeyed hotel was built in 1862 to replace the first one built at the site in 1859, which was razed by fire just two years later in 1861.

Today's historic kauri building is lucky to be standing after a kitchen fire threatened to take hold of its dry timbers in January last year. It was saved by quick action from staff and the Mangawhai Heads volunteer fire brigade.

The tavern has had a colourful 152 year history, originally catering to the needs of kauri bushmen and the ships that were the main transport link to the roadless north.

Ms Houser bought the business in 2008. She worked hard to enhance its reputation as an entertainment venue as much as somewhere people could enjoy a drink and meal, overlooking the estuary and sand dunes.

The marketing blurb suggests that "if you haven't rocked at the Mangawhai Tavern, you haven't rocked".

Acts lined up for this summer include Dragon, The Feelers, The Exponents in a show called The Clash of the Titans, Hello Sailor, The Black Seeds, Katchafire, Sons of Zion, Tiki Tane, a Dire Straits covers tribute band and a Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton hits tribute duo.

Ms Houser was unavailable to talk to the Advocate about the popular tavern she has run for six years.