Raising a glass to the Kiwi pub
Experienced pub veteran George Lockyer travelled the length and breadth of Aotearoa, visiting public houses and hotels, to put together this brilliant tribute to an integral part of our local culture: the classic Kiwi pub.
This slice of heartland history has tall tales, hilarious anecdotes, quirky characters and memorable moments, featuring 25 iconic and some not so well known pubs and hotels.
We asked him some questions:
What was the inspiration for this book?
Didn’t need much inspiration really. My publisher Bateman suggested the book and I jumped at the chance. Growing up in the UK I was a big fan of pub culture and the ‘local’. And of course it gave me another opportunity to travel around our beautiful country.
Did you have a favourite pub or hotel?
My favourite was probably the Whangamomona Hotel, because of its history and fascinating backstory of the town declaring itself a Republic. Also its isolated location on the Forgotten World Highway.
How long did it take you to travel the country to write this book? From signing the contract to handing the book over took about 18 months. What was the process for selecting these specific pubs and hotels to feature in the book? I used a couple of books to identify what I thought were the most interesting pubs and hotels. The best one was New Zealand Pubs by Peter Janssen. I also asked friends who had travelled the county and publicans I’d interviewed.
Did you uncover any history that surprised you?
Nothing that really surprised me, but that’s not to suggest the history wasn’t interesting. One theme was the amount of early pubs burned to the ground in the 19th century!
Did you have a favourite publican? All the publicans I met were hospitable and great value. Perhaps Andrew and Jane Dixon, owners of The Mussel Inn in Golden Bay. Andrew was so passionate about the area, its people, his brewery and the environment. Were there any pubs and hotels that didn’t make the cut but you would have like to have included? There were a few that I knew of personally like the Hurunui Hotel in Canterbury that were experiencing difficult times due to Covid-19 and didn’t reply to my email. And, of course there were dozens like the Vulcan Hotel in St Bathans, or the Danseys Pass Hotel that I simply couldn’t fit in. Maybe in
Iconic Kiwi Pubs 2!
Did any pubs or hotels have ghost stories or a really interesting backstory? Yes, a few had ghost stories, like the Carey’s Bay Historic Hotel, near Dunedin and the Dargaville Central Hotel. One of the best back stories was from the Tophouse Historic Inn, near St Arnaud. As well as having the smallest bar in the country, it’s famous for the murder/suicide that took place in 1894. And their ghost story!
Was it hard to choose the cover image?
Yes, it’s always hard to choose the cover photo for a book. The owners of the Duke of Marlborough in Russell were kind enough to let us use their one!
Do you have any other books in the pipeline? I have a couple of ideas but I’m playing my cards close to my chest!