Kells Hotel will pour its last beers on Wednesday, May 22, ending a 158-year tradition on the north bank of the Grey River.
It will be a bittersweet moment for publicans Sandy Ferguson and Allan 'Goody' Goodsir after almost 20 years behind the bar.
Affectionately known as 'the little country pub in town', while the lease still has a couple more months to run, the liquor licence expires next Thursday and the Grey District Council licensing authority would not allow a three-month temporary licence.
Kells was sold 12 months ago to an Auckland man and its future has been in limbo ever since.
The new owner visited once in June last year. It was put back on the market about four weeks ago, before being withdrawn.
The current publicans have experienced false starts already.
"We have already done two last hurrahs, after two others fell through just before they were due to take over. It's a bit of a kick in the a*** when that happens," Ms Ferguson said.
"A lot of stuff was all packed up then, and Goody wouldn't let me bring it back!"
"It's a different world... people working in the mines have all gone, Mr Goodsir said.
"We would have a band or music twice a month, three men's pool teams and two women's (teams) for a couple of years.
"We've always been the strongest pool team in the Grey Valley pool competition. And we had three darts teams - they were the good old days though."
The purchase of the hotel came about when he was working at Strongman open-cast mine and suffered a knee injury.
"I'd always wanted to be a publican since the 1970s - back when they used to make money," he laughs.
"I had a good teacher too - Tinky Covedern - he taught me many things about the pub life."
A nasty jetboat accident in 2008 put Mr Goodsir in an induced coma, and patrons took over running the establishment for the weeks that Ms Ferguson was at his bedside.
"You're not just serving drinks - you are counsellor, bank manager, nurse, aunty and minister -and it is 24-7," Ms Ferguson said.
"It will be a shame to see it shut, it leaves nothing on this side of the river. But it is time, we are just worn out. It is a sad and happy time.
"The pub has been around for people's lifetimes, and we both want to say thank you to all that have supported us through the years.
"It is a little pub with a big heart."
- By Meg Fulford
