End of an era as Eastside Tavern faces the wreckers

Friday, 19 May 2023

It’s the end of an era for one of the last of Hamilton’s old-school suburban pubs.

The Eastside Tavern was affectionately known to nearby regional council staff as “E block”, the pub that provided an “office away from the office” for many at the council’s old HQ across the road.

It also attracted students from the warren of flats between Grey St and the university, and a working crowd from across Hamilton East, all mixed together under the glow of the pub’s pool table lights and amber-tinted afternoon sunshine of its garden bar.

But as of this week, it is no more.

The Eastside Tavern and other buildings on the corner of Cook and Grey streets in Hamilton East are in the process of being demolished by their current owner Wise Group, which has wide-ranging interests in health and social services.

It’s looking to use the site for a youth space.

The tavern has happy memories for many and there’s sadness at its demise.

“They can tear down the building. But they can’t tear down the memories,” said one upset fan of the old pub on Facebook.

“Another piece of history gone from Hamilton,” said another.

“I’m gutted to be honest,” said former owner-operator Nick Field, now concentrating on running the Hillcrest Tavern near the university.

That was due to his fond recollections of the Eastside and the fact he’d have liked to have kept operating there longer.

But Wise Group confirmed this week it purchased the 319 Grey St site where the tavern sits in 2019. That was with the future intention of building a “world-class multi-functional space to benefit all youth, the youth sector and the wider community”.

“The immediate priority is ensuring the site is safe, so the existing buildings are currently being demolished and the site cleared,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

No more information was available Thursday on a timeline for any new development and other details.

A Waikato Times story from 2011 talked of happy and friendly pub patrons, and of the reporter seeing “regulars, mostly men, chew the fat over their Friday lunchtime pints”.

“They are shift workers, men ‘convalescing’ and men who want their wives to think they are somewhere else.

“Pleasant but forgettable music plays in the background, loud enough to be heard, quiet enough to talk over.

“Even with couches, tables, two pool tables and pokie machines, the room feels spacious.”

The tavern was bought by the regional council in 2009 and it was understood to be considering a headquarters there. But the council ended up in Ward St in the CBD and Wise Group eventually took over ownership.

Field had worked at the tavern for about 20 years before its closure and became owner-operator for about the last decade of its working life.

But the lease was terminated 18 months ago and the tavern needed to shift out at the end of June last year, he said Thursday.

On not being able to stay longer as he wished, he said “it is what it is”.

His strongest memory of his time at the Eastside? “Just the people I’ve met over the 20 years.”

Field’s current focus is revamping the Hillcrest Tavern, a smaller version of the old student pub that sat on the site and which was demolished about 20 years ago.

“We’ve refurbished the Hillcrest and now we’re extending it.”

He said he was trying to make things there as good as the Eastside with the likes of TAB facilities and pool tables, and a second garden bar.

“It will be a very good suburban tavern…we’re just looking forward to opening up all the new space.”