Romsey Hotel has officially called it a day, leaving the small town without a pub for the first time in 150 years.
And it doesn’t look like any future owners are going to bring back the historic watering hole.
Service came to a halt and the windows of Romsey Hotel were boarded up earlier this month.
Owner and long-time hotelier Jim Hogan has confirmed that the property is on the market.
“The property is up for sale and I have received many offers already from a variety of different business operators/developers,” Mr Hogan said.
“Unfortunately there are no hoteliers among them.”
Mr Hogan did not reveal the potential buyers, but said “hopefully the new use of the site will be acceptable to the community”.
Residents have taken to social media to express disappointment about the pub’s closure.
“Noooo,” one local wrote on Facebook.
According to Romsey and Lancefield Districts Historical Society records, Romsey’s first pub was established in 1867, and the town has not been without one until now.
Romsey is now also without a TAB.
Mr Hogan bought Romsey Hotel in 2007. He unsuccessfully fought residents and Macedon Ranges council to introduce 30 poker machines at the pub in 2008. He subsequently lost an appeal at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
Mr Hogan owns Hogans Hotel in Wallan and The Hotel Shamrock in Bendigo. He said some of the former Romsey Hotel staff were considering positions at his other venues.
