Last orders at popular bar for tradies

MEMORIES: 'Wink' Adcock of Masterton, a regular and also a foreman when the Homestead Bar in Solway was built.PHOTOS/LYNDA FERINGA

A Masterton bar "where all good tradesmen go at the end of the day" is to shut at the end of the month after running for nearly half a century.

Trust House has announced it will close The Homestead Bar in Solway and also Greytown Wines and Spirits due to market forces.

It was a big day for Masterton when then mayor, Norman Tankersley, officially opened The Homestead Bar Block on September 4, 1971 saying for the 4000 cars crossing the Waingawa Bridge "this could become their first port of call".

In front of more than 1000 people attending the opening, he read out a quote by Omar Khayyam: "Come, fill the cup that clears today, of past regrets and future fears - unborn tomorrows and past yesterdays, why fret about them if today be sweet."

And the crowd certainly did fill their cups with free beer flowing in celebration of the new bar block, which was split into three different areas called The Homestead Bar, The Settler's Lounge and The Waggoner Bar.

Since then, it has proved popular with tradesmen, running for 43 years.

'Wink' Adcock was the foreman of the building when it was constructed and has been a regular patron since.

"I'm sad that it's going to shut," he said. "A lot of my mates come here, and I come here for a drink and to have a yak."

Two tradesmen, who did not want to be named, said it was the only place to get a drink in that part of town.

They both work all around Wairarapa and said it was definitely a popular place for tradesmen to get a perfectly chilled beer.

"It's one of the few pubs you can get a cold Tui."

Both men had just knocked off work and had come to the bar to get a beer when they found out about the closure.

"Any pub that's closing down is terrible news," one said.

Both the businesses closing are attached to outlets that closed last year - the Greytown Four Square Supermarket and Masterton's Homestead Restaurant.

Trust House chief executive Allan Pollard said it had been a difficult decision to close both businesses but ultimately it was to improve Trust House's profitability and returns to the community.

"As with the supermarket and restaurant, market forces over the last few years have made these two businesses unsustainable in the highly-competitive markets of liquor retail and hospitality."

He said the trust is concentrating on upgrading its other outlets and investing in innovative developments to provide a sound financial return to the community.

"These include the major redevelopment of the Featherston supermarket, cafe and bottle store, and 'The Farriers' - the new hospitality venue on the Horseshoe site," Mr Pollard said.

He praised the efforts of management and staff who he said did everything possible to keep the two businesses trading.

The equivalent of seven full time positions will be lost but the trust was working to try and retain staff, Mr Pollard said.

"We thank all customers for their patronage over the years and invite them to continue to use outlets such as the Greytown Hotel, Kuripuni Tavern, the many Bottle-O outlets in the region, and, later this year, the new Farriers."

Last year Trust House sold its Solway Four Square business as a going concern for which it now receives rental income.

The former Homestead Restaurant and the bar will become available for use by the Solway Park Hotel.