- Two of the country's oldest pubs, Whangamomona Hotel and Moutere Inn, may have new owners soon.
- Whangamomona Hotel is under contract, with hopes to finalise early next year.
- Moutere Inn has significant interest, with a formal offer expected soon and a likely February sale.
The pub at the centre of New Zealand’s self-declared "republic" is under contract, while an offer to buy the country’s oldest pub is also due to land any day now.
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The pending sales of the Whangamomona Hotel, in Whangamōmona, and the Moutere Inn, in Tasman, follow the high-profile purchase of New Zealand’s most famous pub, the Cardrona Hotel, near Wānaka, earlier this year.
The 114-year-old Whangamomona Hotel is on the legendary Forgotten World Highway and is the beating heart of a village with only 20 residents. Visitors to the pub can, for a fee, get their passports stamped.
McDonald Real Estate agent Russell Atkinson said the Whangamomona Hotel was New Zealand’s remotest pub - a strong drawcard for the tens of thousands of visitors who go through its doors each year. Finding the right buyer had taken time.
“With Whangamomona, it’s just such a unique location and set-up that it requires the one person who sees the value in it for them personally, because you are miles away from anywhere. It was just a matter of waiting for that right person, and sometimes that can take a while or happen quite quickly - you just don’t know.”
Whangamomona Hotel on the Forgotten Highway is under contract and may change hands in the New Year. Photo / Supplied
Atkinson said there had been a lot of interest in the pub, with almost everyone wanting it as a home and income. It was currently under contract, he said, and if all went to plan, it would go unconditional early next year.
The property was for sale by negotiation, but it had an earlier price indication of $1.4m.
The vendors, Richard and Vicki Pratt, bought the building and business in 2013 after moving from Auckland for a change of lifestyle. The hotel was first put on the market for sale at the end of 2019, just before Covid hit, which changed their plans. They then relisted it at the start of the year.
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Richard told OneRoof that Whangamōmona was the “closest thing to the Wild West in NZ”.
The country’s oldest pub, Moutere Inn, located between Nelson and Motueka, could soon have a new owner as well.
A group of four mates bought the property after returning to New Zealand from the UK in 2008. OneRoof reported earlier this year that the current owners, Andrew Cole and Dave Watson, bought the other two out and turned the pub into a popular destination.
Bayleys agent Matt Galvin said there had been a huge amount of interest in the pub and expected a formal offer to be made any day. “He [the potential buyer] is right down to the nitty-gritty contractual side of it.
The old Moutere Inn, halfway between Motueke and Nelson, also has a new owner in its sights. Photo / Supplied
Seddonville Hotel, which includes a pub, a motel, a dairy and a post office, in Buller on the West Coast is being sold for $679,000. Photo / Supplied
“Quite genuinely, if someone else is interested, they need to give me a call ASAP. It’s likely to change hands in February – he’s ready to move relatively quickly.”
The vendors had the pub on for $1.2m, which Galvin said was “incredible value for money”, and comparable to what someone would pay for a very modest home in the area.
Galvin had been fielding interest from overseas buyers, investors and the “dad consortium buyers” since the property first hit the market in 2023.
“I’ve had many a conversation around a Sunday BBQ or bonfire with all the different people I know, and I know other people are having the same chats with all the dad groups that are wanting to go a quarter each and have a daydream about owning a pub. There’s a general shift of people wanting to have a change of life, get out of the cities.”
More recently, he had received half a dozen “semi-genuine” inquiries from Australians wanting to move across the ditch for the lifestyle.
Those who miss out on the two watering holes will find other quirky pubs for sale around the country.
The Lauder Hotel, which first opened in 1904 as the Lauder Railway Hotel, at 3313 Lauder-Omakau Road, Lauder, Central Otago, was listed for sale last month.
The country's tiniest English pub the Brantwood Arms and the world-famous Trott's Garden, is inviting buyer enquiry over $2m. Photo / Supplied
The pub opened on the Otago Central Railway line before being turned 180C in the 1960s to its current spot overlooking Lauder’s main street.
The hotel now benefits from the hungry and thirsty cycling tourists riding along the Central Otago Rail, which is right behind it.
Rayne & Horne agent Rhys Chamberlain’s listing on OneRoof described it as a “quintessentially Kiwi rural pub” with plenty of options.
Meanwhile, Seddonville Hotel, at 2 Mokihinui Road, in the tiny historic coal mining town of Seddonville, which has an asking price of $679,000, is also still hunting for its next custodian.
Ray White agent Di Wright said people from Kaitaia to Wellington had shown interest in the property, which comprises a pub, motel and shop, but no one had made the long trip down to see it.
“I guess they are looking to make a change, move to the south and have a little bit of a business to go with it,” she said.
“You want to live on the West Coast, you want to do your fishing and your white baiting – but you still want your money coming in.”
New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty agent Joe Laing said the country’s smallest English pub, the Brantwood Arms, was still for sale along with the world-famous Trott’s Garden, in Ashburton.
Rob and Janene Riedstra poured their hearts and souls into the 4ha treasure at 371 Racecourse Road in Allenton, Ashburton, since purchasing it for $1.35m two years ago. They are now looking for a new owner to take it over so they can head back to the North Island to spend more time with their new grandchild.
The property is inviting enquiries over $2m. It could appeal to people within the area or out-of-towners looking for a home and business opportunity.
“It’s got such a good location that people will look at it and go ‘you know what, I would actually love to stay in the region and just do something a bit different’ and that’s the kind of place where you would be able to do that.”
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