She said they could not get an evening meal or breakfast during their first visit and their accommodation at a motel left a lot to be desired.
“We were driving back to Auckland the next day and Bryon asked what I thought.
“I just said, ‘Christ, mate, we’ve got to be able to do better than what we’ve just experienced, let’s give it a go’.”
Before moving to Hunterville, Bryon worked for Iplex Pipelines and Sandy worked in interior design.
After buying the premises, they set about doing it up – putting “the old girl right” – while keeping a traditional look, down to brass and iron bed frames as part of opening it up for accommodation, she said.
“It was just a tavern to start with but we redesigned the upstairs spaces, knocked some walls out and put some en suites in.”
Bayleys salesman Andrew Bonnor said the couple was ready for a well-deserved retirement.
“They have carried out extensive strengthening, modernisation and refurbishment throughout the landmark building, and with a newly painted exterior and well-kept grounds, the Station is in great shape for a seamless handover,” he said.
The property has about 670sq m of buildings on 2098sq m of commercial-zoned land.
Beaman said the asking price was cheaper than a house in Auckland or Wellington.
The couple could not have carried on for so long without the support of the community, she said.
“We’ve been mindful of giving back to them, whether it’s running charitable events or supporting sports clubs and the play centre.”
The hotel was “a lifestyle business” and, at present, opened at 3pm.
“If a younger couple came along, they could open at midday and [during] the weekends for lunch. There is a lot of business to be had.
“We want someone with a real passion who wants to be part of a great community.
“There is a nice little apartment upstairs, so you can still lock yourself away if you want to.”
She said Tour Aotearoa – the 3000km bike-packing route from Cape Rēinga to Bluff – passed close by.
“Some chaps cycled in one day and liked what they saw, so they put us in the guidebook and actually moved the route from the main road so you have to almost cycle straight past us.
“It’s just fantastic and brings business right to our door.
“People say that hospitality is dire and businesses are closing down, but I say they can’t be doing it right. We are always busy, and there is room to grow as well.”
Bryon would be 72 this month and, apart from a holiday every other year, he had opened the bar seven days a week for 21 years, Beaman said.
The couple had lined up a house in Foxton for retirement, but they always wanted to see their “fabulous friends” in Hunterville.
“We have pride in the hotel and we want to come back and stay there. Really, it’s our very precious baby.
“Some people were little babies when we arrived in town and now they are working for us, and some of our first customers are now the parents of high-school children.
“It’s been lovely to be a part of it all.”
Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present, his focus is local government, primarily Whanganui District Council.
