Tavern no longer fits resort town's refined character

The once-notorious "flesh town" of Russell is losing its last public bar and some say the popular New Year's Eve spot is becoming too respectable for its own good.

Townsfolk are accusing wealthy foreigners, the largest group of landlords in the Far North tourist town, of looking down their noses at the Duke of Marlborough Tavern but say its closure will hit businesses hard.

"We have to cater for everyone. The front hotel thinks it's the Ritz," said one long-time resident who would not be named.

The "front hotel" is Russell's Duke of Marlborough Hotel, not to be confused with the tavern, as the two are at opposite ends of the watering-hole scale.

The hotel is proud of its prime beachfront location and fine dining.

The tavern, on the other hand, is a block back from the beach and attracts large, boisterous crowds in the summer.

But landlord Terry Ewbank, a Colorado real estate agent who fell in love with Russell 10 years ago, said the bar was not financially viable and lessee Bruce Wilson had little option.

"The reality is the bar's not making it, but old habits die hard in Russell," Mr Ewbank said.

The town had changed in the past decade and the people who once frequented the tavern didn't live in Russell any more. Mr Ewbank bought the site to save Russell from the kind of rampant development seen at nearby Paihia and Kerikeri.

"My concern was, oh boy, here comes someone with a 15-storey high-rise," he said.

Russell might have a colourful past - it was dubbed the "hell-hole of the Pacific" in the 19th century when whaling crews swarmed ashore looking for alcohol and sex - but few locals seem to think it needs further refinement.

An anonymous letter sent to the local Russell Lights newspaper, signed by "concerned locals", said the bar was being closed "for the sake of corporate image".

Former tavern publican Wayne Hope said most people would be sad to see it go, particularly if it was turned into more shops.

"There are five empty shops here right now," he said.

Mr Ewbank said he owned "half a dozen" commercial buildings and, like the other major investors in the town, wasn't out to make a quick buck.

"We're fortunate in that we don't have to maximise every opportunity in terms of its return potential," he said.

He believed most locals were "fairly supportive" of the tavern's closure.

Auckland comedian Ewen Gilmour said he played a "bloody good gig" with band The Feelers at the tavern last summer and would be sad to see it close.

"It's almost an institution."