KATRINA BRANDON
By KATRINA BRANDON
THE Rosedale Hotel is under new management and is bracing for the day that Rosedale is no longer “the town with no pub”.
New owners Ricky Leeson, Cameron Mayne, Mark Power and their families are excited and nervous about their latest adventure, set to open in October.
“Excited and nervous about opening,” Mr Leeson said.
“None of us have ever owned a pub before.
“There’s a bit of nervousness but mostly excitement. The town and community have all been positive; the majority of the stuff going around is positive, which gives you a feeling that you are on the right track and that you will be supported and will be enjoyed by others.”
According to Mr Leeson, the pub has been closed for about 10 years, and the other local pub (on the other side of the road) has been closed for anywhere from five to seven years, meaning of course, nowhere to have a drink for those in town.
During the day, there are three cafés in Rosedale, with Mr Leeson’s stamp of approval, that serve breakfast and lunch, making weekend parking practically impossible.
“One of the café owners made a comment to me that I never thought about,” Mr Leeson said.
“We are very central where she is getting a lot of people coming in from Sale, Traralgon, Maffra, Heyfield, and Yarram. They all meet here in some ways because it is central to all of those towns. They meet for lunch here and all that sort of thing.
“I am hoping we will be able to piggyback off the back of that, and they will be able to meet here for some dinners and some drinks, all that type of thing.”
Construction of multiple estate blocks in Rosedale is currently underway as part of the Rosedale Structure Plan, which Wellington Shire Council adopted on August 7, 2012.
The Rosedale Hotel is located at the centre of construction, with new estate blocks set to surround the hotel.
Mr Leeson said about 80 or so new residential blocks are expected to be built in the next five years, which he added will be good for the town, schools and businesses in the area.
With the new beer tax coming in, Mr Leeson says it will no doubt make things a little bit more challenging, but he is willing to see how it goes.
“No doubt it will affect how often people will come down and come in,” Mr Leeson said.
“If they are visiting, it might affect how long they will stay for, like have two beers and go home or have four beers and go home.”
The idea for the pub has been floating around for years in the community, but Mr Leeson and his friends decided that it was time to jump in.
“We were sitting in town, having a few beers in November last year and thought ‘Yeah, it would be a good idea, let’s do it, let’s make a phone call’,” Mr Leeson said.
“It’s August now, but hopefully, we will be open some time in October.
“The three of us have been involved in the sporting clubs; the other two fellas know quite a few blokes through sporting achievements, and I think it will be well tended.
“We are not in it to be millionaires; we are not in it to look at early retirement, we are doing it on the basis of it being an opportunity to have a bit of fun together.”
Among the community, there is a little confusion over what the meaning of their logo actually means.
For those who are old enough, the Flintstones aired an episode where Fred and Barney would head down to what they called the ‘Royal Buffalo Society’, where they would hang out.
Mr Leeson said since there was no pub, they went to one of their sheds to drink, and no one knew about it, so it felt like an inside joke they could have between themselves when they went to drink and chat.
“We’re going to the Water Buffalo!”
Mr Leeson is very passionate and excited about opening this opportunity up to the Rosedale community and welcomes everyone to come in once they finally open.
“We will work in the pub, but we will also have staff; we will be enjoying it,” he said.
“Happy to get behind the bar and help but also happy to have a beer with people as well.”
Coming soon: The new Rosedale Hotel is slated to open in October.
Photograph Katrina Brandon
Dormant: The pub is one of two in the town, although both have been closed for a number of years. Photograph Katrina Brandon
History: The Rosedale Hotel has stood since 1858. Photograph supplied
Facelift: The Rosedale Hotel is coming back. Photograph Katrina Brandon
