Another free pub lease up for grabs

The owner of the Garston Hotel in Northern Southland is offering a free lease of the bar. Photo / iStock

If you missed out on the free lease of Stanley's Hotel at Macraes, don't worry ... the owner of the Garston Hotel in Northern Southland, is offering the same deal.

After reading an Otago Daily Times story about Stanley's, Garston Hotel owner Stephen Wright wants to offer the same deal.

"This is quite an iconic pub in Southland," Mr Wright said.

"It was at the point I thought I might bowl it.

"It's more about the community. I don't want to see the place close."

Mr Wright, a flight service manager in Auckland, spent 30 years in Invercargill and said the hotel, near Kingston, had loads of potential.

He was offering a free lease of the bar and an attached manager's residence on the condition that the new proprietor gave it "a lick of paint" and looked after it.

"A lot of people, they want that lifestyle change but they can't afford the risk."

With the free lease, there was little risk, Mr Wright said.

Tourism was a possibility and Mr Wright was excited about the fact the new Around the Mountain cycle trail passed behind the building.

"It's iconic.

"Everybody's been in to the Garston pub. It's a rite of passage," he said.