Owners of burned hotel had enforced no-patch rule

The Pinelands Hotel was set alight on Friday morning. Photo / Daily Post

The Kawerau bar owner who was reportedly assaulted and doused in petrol before he escaped his burning hotel has had previous run-ins with gang members, locals say.

Dennis Angus, who owns the Pinelands Hotel in Kawerau, was reportedly assaulted after closing the bar at 2am on Friday morning. Mr Angus' two-storey bar was then set alight.

Onlookers reported that he had been doused in petrol but managed to escape to a nearby lawn by the time firefighters arrived. Kawerau people the Herald spoke to yesterday said Mr Angus was "very well-liked" and "community-minded".

One woman, who asked not to be named, said he had had some issues with Mongrel Mob members in the past.

She said Mr Angus' wife, Sheryl, would act as the pub's bouncer and would order patch-wearing gang members out of the bar.

"It was probably not too different to other small towns with gangs but she [Mrs Angus] is pretty staunch and doesn't take any crap and I've seen her bar gang members for wearing their patches," she said.

"There'd be other times when they'd be drinking in the car park during band gigs at the pub and Dennis would go out there and tell them to get lost."

She said Mr and Mrs Angus had been trying to sell the motel/hotel for years. The Herald understands he was in talks to sell it to author Alan Duff but negotiations fell through.

Another Kawerau local, who also asked not to be named, said it was well known that the bar held music gigs on Thursday evenings.

He believed the takings from the gig could have been a motivating factor for the robbery.

"It is pretty shattering for the community for this to happen. Dennis is a good guy, people like him here so we want to know who did this."

Police are continuing their investigation at the hotel and yesterday had a cordon set up barring entry to the large carpark that surrounds the building.

Detective Sergeant Ross Everest of Whakatane did not return calls yesterday but issued a statement saying police were interviewing people who had been drinking at the hotel.

He would not confirm whether Mr Angus was doused in petrol or discuss his injuries.