Former Waitōtara Hotel land for sale after fire guts historic pub

The former Waitōtara Hotel land is for sale after a fire destroyed the pub in April last year. Photo / Fin Ocheduszko Brown

The site of the former Waitōtara Hotel is for sale a year after a major fire closed the historic pub.

The land is listed for sale by Property Brokers.

Hawke’s Bay-based Isobel Creswell, who owns the Kaipo St land and building, said the fire was the biggest factor in selling.

“It was impossible to rebuild it again for so many reasons: it was two-storeyed, very old and the consents involved would have been absolutely massive,” she said.

Creswell has owned the hotel, about 30km north of Whanganui, for 22 years but never operated the business.

The original hotel was built in 1871 but was destroyed by fire in 1924 and rebuilt the following year.

In April last year, 101 years later, the hotel had another large fire, which was reignited a day later.

Creswell said she was gutted when she learned about the fire.

“The lease was over in about two years, so I was looking forward to coming into the hotel, doing a bit of work on it and operating it myself for a while,” Creswell said.

More than 20 fire appliances responded to last year's fire. Photo / Jay Preeter

Former hotel licence owner Chris Swetman operated the pub and lived in the hotel for 16 years.

He was in the building when the fire broke out.

“I went out to see some customers and, when I came back, the place was on fire; I was only gone for two minutes,” he said.

The fire started in the deep fryer, Swetman said.

“I lost everything; all my clothes, all my possessions, so it was pretty tragic, really,” he said.

“The history is gone, just like that.”

Swetman managed to escape with the clothes on his back and his cat.

The hotel was demolished about June last year because of extensive damage, Swetman said.

The community raised more than $25,000 raised for him and held a concert, he said.

He has had a tough time navigating his future.

“I have got to move on I suppose ... I feel a bit depressed about it but you can’t do much about it,” he said.

“My partner had died a year and a half before that, and then the pub burned down - it kind of seems like everything is really bad.

“I’m kind of struggling at the moment. I don’t know what to do.”

Swetman said he felt Waitōtara needed something like a pub or shop to retain its residents and attract others.

“I think quite a few people of Waitōtara said there is no point in living there any more,” he said.

“Even to get some groceries, it takes you 10 to 20 minutes to get to Waverley.”

Creswell said she would “absolutely” love to see someone try to establish a community hub on the land.

“It was a huge part of the community, I know that. When the hotel went, a lot of things went,” she said.

“It supported the community and was the hub of Waitōtara and further afield, and now it is gone - it’s disappointing.”

Swetman thought there had been some interest in the land from people in the community wanting to set up another hub.

“But, is it really viable? We were there for over 15 years and it wasn’t a money spinner; it was just a lifestyle thing.

“We didn’t starve or anything but we didn’t make a lot of money either.

“I think that is the same for all the pubs in small towns - there is just not enough people for it to survive.”

This story has been updated to correct the number of years Isobel Creswell has owned the property.

Fin Ocheduszko Brown is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.