After more than three decades, the Curlewis pub will have new owners.
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The Commercial Hotel in Railway Street has been in the hands of Gwenda and Kevin Edmonds and Robert and Margaret Schofield for 32 years but on December 13, they will hand it over to buyers from Newcastle.
Mr Edmonds said they started talking about selling about six months ago but only listed the pub six weeks ago, so "it was pretty quick".
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He said he and Gwenda weren't moving but it was time to retire from the pub scene, do a bit of travelling and spend time with family.
"We're staying in town - I'm still president of the jockey club," he said.
"We've got grandkids in Newcastle and Ballina, so we'll be going travelling there a bit, and generally relaxing. We'll go on holiday after everything settles down."
Mr Edmonds said they would help to familiarise the new owners with the pub and hoped the current staff would be able to stay on.
"Hopefully they will keep it going like it has been because it's a good little pub," he said.
"I'll miss going out there and talking to the customers."
His daughter Mel McCulloch said she and her father had been among numerous publicans including Tony Rankmore and Peter Louis.
Ms McCulloch became publican this year and the family carried out renovations to update the pub's interior.
Mr Edmonds has been back behind the bar since early 2018 after a 20-year hiatus and Ms McCulloch said locals had often commented that "it's so good to see your dad back".
"[Mum and Dad] have a lot of affection for Curlewis. All of us do. We love it as a community. it's a great little community," Ms McCulloch said.
"We've made some really good mates. It's been a great journey.
"We'll miss that connection with people and the social side ... I'll be back to have dinner."
Ms McCulloch said it was important that the pub was going to be run by people who understand its central role in the town.
"We wanted someone to keep it as a country pub, somewhere people can come out to and have dinner," she said.
"It is a hub and we want to keep it that way."
History
The Commercial Hotel was built in 1912 and was licensed to James V Parnell on October 9, 11 days before the Royal Hotel, according to the NSW Government Gazette.
The pub has been in the hands of Kevin and Gwenda Edmonds, and Robert and Margaret Schofield since the October long weekend in 1987.
The Edmonds agreed to move off their farm near Nundle and bundled up their three children, Mel, Anthony and Matthew, and moved into the pub.
By then Curlewis was a "one-pub town" and the Preston Colliery - situated between Curlewis and Gunnedah - was still running.
The Edmonds lived at the pub for three years before hiring Jan Cummins as manager. This allowed the family to move into Gunnedah and take up residence in the-then Regal Hotel, which they purchased from Tooth and Co Brewery in 1989.
Again, the acquisition process wasn't straightforward, with Newcastle's earthquake throwing a spanner in the works.
Back in Curlewis, the Edmonds put in a TAB and on a Saturday, two staff were now needed behind the bar and one guy running the TAB.
Over the years, the pub has become a hub for families and social events, with bridal showers, weddings, birthday parties, baby showers, reunions, kids' parties and wedding anniversaries celebrated within its walls.
Long-time licensee Peter Louis decided to move on in 2018, so Mr Edmonds started running the pub again and his daughter became the publican.