General News
22 February, 2024
Push for Lexton pub ownership
The small community of Lexton was rocked in January when its beloved Pyrenees Hotel was abruptly closed. The concerns of the nearly 300 residents weren’t focused on how the town was now without any restaurants, or that only two other stores are...
The small community of Lexton was rocked in January when its beloved Pyrenees Hotel was abruptly closed.
The concerns of the nearly 300 residents weren’t focused on how the town was now without any restaurants, or that only two other stores are presently open, it was how the community was going to survive without its hub.
“It wasn’t just a place to buy booze, it was a catch up point for everyone and a vital link in the community which is being dearly missed,” Lexton resident Rob Johns said.
“It was more than a pub, it was a social gathering space, you could check up on the elderly, shearers would get work out of the hotel by talking to different people, you could get wood delivered, it was such a focal point for any sort of social interaction.
“Everyone knew that nearly everyone in the town would be there on a Friday night.”
Faced with this loss, members of the community hosted a town meeting on Sunday, February 4 to propose a community buy-out of the Pyrenees Hotel, with nearly 100 people attending.
The level of support for the proposal convinced residents to continue with their plans, selecting a seven member steering committee last Friday out of 17 applications, in hopes to make the community’s dream a reality.
Mr Johns, who was named media liaison, said the committee will take its time to see if the community buyout is possible.
“There will be certain tasks given to people dependant on their skill set to move forward and look at actually buying the hotel,” he said.
“We are still in our baby steps, we will soon formalise the idea of lawyers to draw up the contracts and engaging the owners as to how much it will cost, and when we get those ducks lined up, then we will organise management to run [the hotel] from there on.”
Committee applications, and potential financial pledges were completed in a survey co-created by Jonathan Wright, which saw over 50 people participate.
Mr Wright, who moved from Sydney to Lexton nearly 18 months ago, felt compelled to help support the initiative.
“Being new to the community, the Pyrenees Hotel has been a real cornerstone of my social life and of becoming a part of this area — I really cherish the time I spent there and the people I have met through it,” he said.
“Losing that outlet has been devastating for everyone and I wanted to be able to contribute to an effort to try and rectify that loss if possible in any way I could.
“I have seen how tight knit Lexton is and how much everyone looks out for each other so I am heartened, but I can’t say I didn’t expect us as a community to make an effort to address this.”
While the pub has been closed, residents have organised social gatherings over the past three Fridays, including 60 meeting at Mr Johns house to socialise, and the Lexton Golf Club hosting dinner and drinks last Friday.
Mr Wright said these gatherings have helped uplift the community through these troubling times.
“There is a stereotype of when you move to the country, it will take you 10 years before people say hello, and here it took 10 minutes,” he said.
“Just being able to see familiar faces and people I consider close friends now in any venue is something to cherish — it is not the same as the pub, but it’s a great stop gap.”
Lexton resident Phillip Lee said the togetherness of the locals is what makes Lexton a place he is proud to call home.
“The pub is the lifeline of this town, usually a pub is somewhere you go after work and have a couple of beers, see your mates and go home, here it is not like that,” he said.
“Here it is where you go to see a friend, where you go to get weekend work, where you go to catch up with someone.
“Here you become really good friends with people really quick and you sort of can’t get out of that, I was a bit stand-offish with people and this community has changed me.
“Everyone helps each other out, if I needed help tomorrow I would have 10 blokes put their hand up and say what time do you want me around.”