Former Mangaweka hotel becomes shearers' quarters

Mangaweka's former Langholm Hotel is becoming a seasonal home for shearers. Wanganui Chronicle photograph by Bevan Conley.

Shearing is in full swing in the Rangitikei hill country and about 17 shearers are staying in a former pub at Mangaweka.

The owner of the Langholm Hotel, Lyn Watson, died in September 2016. The hotel was then bought by Dave Gordon and Glenn Thomas, the co-owners of Rewa Shearing.

Shearer accommodation has always been scarce in the area, and they planned to convert it for shearers to stay in. Single room accommodation has been added at the back, for an eventual total of 30 beds available.

At the moment the shearing season has overtaken any further development, Mr Gordon said.

"We are right in the guts of it now."

There are 17 or 18 shearers staying at the hotel.

The bar has been a popular place for local people to meet over a drink. But Mr Gordon is not sure it will ever open again.

Getting it going again might entail alterations, and any decision will be made with his business partner, Glenn Thomas.

"We are not sure what we will do. We're going to leave it for six months," he said.