Kerikeri RSA is all but sold

Kerikeri’s old soldiers could soon be looking for a new place to meet after the RSA on Cobham Rd was sold at auction.

Until the sale is finalised — the buyer is still carrying out due diligence — its members remain in limbo.

Like many chartered clubs around the country, membership in Kerikeri has been shrinking, and its bottom line has been hit by supermarket alcohol sales. With a large building at a prime location, however, costs such as rates, insurance and maintenance are high.

The complex comprises a bar, dining area, kitchen and a large function/conference centre. The club also owns a residential property next door.

There were no takers when it was put up for tender late last year, so it was sold by auction in late December. Kerikeri RSA Trust chairman Earl Kingi said the buyer had signed a sale and purchase agreement, subject to due diligence. The outcome could be known “any day now”.

“We had an indication it would be done in about three weeks, though it could take as long as two months. As soon as that happens, time frames for us [for finding new premises] will come into play,” he said.

The trust, which owns the land and buildings, and Kerikeri RSA Inc, which operates the bar and restaurant, would meet again this week to discuss their future options. Both have stated a preference for smaller premises but still close to the town centre.

The RSA is also home to the town’s cenotaph. Separate discussions are under way about moving it to the Domain, as part of consultation on the Domain management plan.

A hard-hitting report released earlier this year said New Zealand’s 182 RSA clubs won’t survive unless they find a way to be relevant to younger members. Nationally the organisation has about 100,000 members. Rules have been relaxed in recent decades, allowing people who have never served in uniform to join.