The Allen family, David, Bronwyn and son Jack, run the Cobargo Hotel. Photo: Supplied.
Opening its doors in 1938 and replacing the former early timber pub, the Cobargo Hotel’s construction nearly didn’t happen. Well, that would have been the case if Mr Herb Turner had taken the advice of anyone or everyone telling him that it wasn’t a financially viable project.
Luckily for Cobargo, Mr Turner was a stubborn man prone to taking risks and said at the time if he could run it for a period of 12 months, he wouldn’t regret the project.
Eighty-eight years later, thanks to the current owners, David and Bronwen Allen, and the many publicans who came before them, the pub has made it through some of its darkest days and is thriving.
The Allens have one simple motto for the running of the Cobargo Hotel: look after the locals and they’ll look after you. It might seem like hospitality 101, but if you frequent many pubs these days, it’s certainly not a given.
The motto has seen Dave and Bron through some pretty tough times at the Cobargo Hotel. Having taken on the lease in 2015, Dave stayed and fought the 2019 New Year’s Eve bushfires that ravaged the town. Having managed to save the hotel with a hose and a lot of grit, they were then slammed by COVID lockdowns.
The back-to-back disasters changed the face of daily life and tourism in the Far South Coast town, but through it all, the pub remained a hub for the community and one that is embraced by the locals.
“The locals are rusted on here. They come every week,” Dave laughs.
The Cobargo Hotel was built in 1938 and saved from the bushfires by the current publican, David Allen. Photo: Tenele Conway.
Country pubs, run by friendly locals, are constantly under threat in Australia. The steep costs of maintaining heritage buildings, the changing nature of alcohol consumption, and a sharp pivot in how people socialise post-COVID all loom over many of our heritage pubs. Having been in the pub business since the 80s, Dave sees the pubs of the South Coast facing a period of transition, one that may keep the doors open but will change the dynamics of going to the local.
“The pubs in many of our regional towns down here are being targeted by bigger hospitality groups. You’ve got Justin Hemmes with the Merivale Group in Narooma, the Bermagui Hotel just sold for $20 million, and the locals are grumbling that the beer prices have gone up to cover the price tag. I think we’re going to see more and more of that in the coastal areas,” Dave tells Region.
But just like the locals, Dave is rusted on to his pub, and with hopes of making a second attempt to buy the building in the future, Dave and Bron have built the business up with an active schedule of events, including live music, trivia and bingo.
“The business has grown every year since we’ve been here, and I can see it booming again when the main street kicks in.”
The Allens have added a lovely beer garden to the rear of the hotel. Photo: Tenele Conway.
The main street project that Dave refers to is the rebuilding of the town through an injection of around $30 million from the NSW Government’s Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund, along with the Cobargo Community Bushfire Recovery Fund and private donations. Dave says that the rebuild is on the brink of completion.
“We’re a tourism-led economy and once those shops start filling up again, we’d like to replicate something like what Tilba or Mogo have,” says Dave.
“The potential is there; we want to fill the shops and spaces with quality tenants and ensure we’re open during the tourist-centric hours.”
Having been born and raised in Cobargo, Dave is passionate about the renewal of the town and sees the next six months as key. Until then, though, he is more than happy to be a little of everything to everyone.
“We’re the takeaway, the bottleshop, the biggest accommodation provider, the return and earn can service, the laundromat and the function centre, so we try and have something for everyone.”
Despite the fires, some lovely heritage buildings still live on Cobargo’s main street. Photo: Tenele Conway.
The pub’s bistro is also the only restaurant in the town open at night, and Dave says that having good, affordable food is number one, two, three and four for his business.
“It’s a no-brainer; if your food’s good, your pub’s good. If your food is no good, you’re in a fair bit of trouble,” Dave laughs.
The pub itself, with its classic brick facade and welcoming atmosphere, is reason enough to visit the quaint town of Cobargo, and while the main street is on the brink of change, the town has some lovely shops with an eclectic mix of shopping and eating. I’d highly recommend carving out some time for a visit.
The Cobargo Hotel Motel is located at 39-41 Princes Highway, Cobargo. Keep up with them via their website, Facebook and Instagram.
