The owners of the Falcon Hotel have announced it will close in June following trade difficulties.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
The Falcon Hotel in Kanyapella will open its doors for the final time on Sunday, June 1.
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For the past four years, the Finn family have owned and operated the hotel, which has over a century of history.
Licensee Brendan Finn said his late father was interested in buying the business, and his brother Michael made the purchase in early 2021.
While Brendan’s enjoyed his time at the helm, he said it had been marked by ups and downs financially.
“There’s been a few too many downs lately,” he said.
“Costs, labour costs, overheads and (customers having) less disposable income. That’s starting to bite.”
Memorabilia adorns the walls inside the hotel.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
An issue with connecting water to the property was another major challenge for the hotel’s operation, which Brendan said limited business opportunities.
“I was going to do a bit of paddock to plate stuff. Put in some aquaculture, put in a bit of a garden, and grow the fruit and vegies for the pub,” he said.
“The big plan was to put in a nice big natural pool and stock it with native fish.”
Working two 12-hour shifts on the weekend has also taken its toll on Brendan, both physically and in terms of missing family events.
On the highlights of being behind the bar, he said the vast majority of customers were friendly and interesting people.
Brendan recalled one customer, a whiskey drinker he became acquainted with, that called him out of the blue one day to ask if he liked crayfish.
“Anyway, he flew from Echuca to South Australia, bought a dozen crayfish, brought them back, and dropped me off four,” Brendan said.
The Falcon bar, complete with a fitting painting above the fridge.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Shelly, a Falcon regular, told the Riv on the night of Friday, May 9, she was going to miss the hotel’s service and homely feeling.
“It’s a huge loss for the community,” she said.
“We used to come here three or four times a week, when we first started coming here, because we absolutely loved it.”
Other regulars said they understood why the business was closing, but it was a shame to see it go, and that Susie, the bartender, would be greatly missed.
Before the doors shut for good in June, Brendan said there were celebrations planned for the hotel.
“On the Sunday when we close up, we’ll kick up our heels a bit,” he said.
A free barbecue and live music is planned for June 1, with at least two artists billed to perform.
Following that, Brendan said he had family across the country to visit and a 12.1-hectare block to keep him busy after trade stops.
“It’s time for me to do something else,” he said.
“I’m sorry we can’t keep going with it. It’s just a little bit tough at the moment.”
The hotel is now listed for sale, and while it has received some interest, Brendan said no solid offers had been made.
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