Selwyn Times: November 21, 2018
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18 Wednesday <strong>November</strong> <strong>21</strong> <strong>2018</strong><br />
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi<br />
SELWYN TIMES<br />
Lincoln Club in its 50th year<br />
Sept 2010 quake: Time to act fast<br />
•From page 17<br />
“We were turning people<br />
away,” said Mr Townsend. “It<br />
was very old-fashioned. We had<br />
a piano accordion band from the<br />
West Coast but we also had Billy<br />
T. James come regularly as well<br />
as The Drifters. When Billy T.<br />
James came, we used to run three<br />
nights in a row and fill the place<br />
every night.”<br />
The club was also the place<br />
where many families and friends<br />
celebrated significant occasions<br />
in their lives with birthdays and<br />
anniversaries regular bookings.<br />
There were also the famous raft<br />
races along the Liffey.<br />
At its height, the club had 1400<br />
members with a waiting list.<br />
The popularity of the club began<br />
to decline in the late 1980s and<br />
early 1990s. Mr Townsend puts it<br />
down to the “chicken coop syndrome”<br />
of the next generation.<br />
“It (the club) was built in the<br />
era of the labour booze bar. It was<br />
ideal for big crowds and entertainment.<br />
When it was a small<br />
group or small event there was<br />
no atmosphere. The younger generation<br />
wanted a more confined<br />
space but the design here didn’t<br />
allow for it.”<br />
As popularity dwindled and<br />
the membership slowly whittled<br />
away, the decision was made to<br />
close the club’s doors. In 2003 the<br />
100%<br />
CapItal GaIn<br />
to the ResIDent<br />
RACE DAY FUN: Manager Will Stock (left) and patrons enjoying Melbourne Cup day.<br />
building was sold to the <strong>Selwyn</strong><br />
District Council.<br />
“We went from having significant<br />
debt to having a similar<br />
amount in credit.”<br />
At the 2004 general meeting,<br />
the question was asked whether<br />
the club should be wound up.<br />
“The membership voted overwhelmingly<br />
they wanted it to<br />
continue, in the hope it would be<br />
resurrected in the future.”<br />
The club went into abeyance<br />
for five or six years but members<br />
continued to meet on Tuesday<br />
nights at the Lincoln Bowling<br />
Club, to keep the heart of it alive,<br />
Mr Townsend said.<br />
In early 2009 the lease of The<br />
Famous Grouse Hotel became<br />
available and “the club in the<br />
pub” was formed. The hotel is 100<br />
per cent owned by the Lincoln<br />
Club.<br />
In order for the pub to succeed,<br />
the committee knew it had a<br />
responsibility to run the business<br />
commercially and professionally<br />
for both club members and the<br />
public.<br />
The club took out a took a loan<br />
and spent $100,000 to renovate<br />
$1,000 FullY<br />
ReFunDable<br />
DeposIt<br />
The Famous Grouse.<br />
But 18 months after the alterations<br />
were complete, the September<br />
4, 2010, earthquake struck.<br />
The William St-side chimney<br />
collapsed and after standing for<br />
125 years and the main building<br />
was condemned.<br />
Mr Townsend, who was president<br />
at the time, decided the club<br />
had to act fast.<br />
“The thing I learnt about in<br />
the earthquake situation was the<br />
business interruption insurance,<br />
which we fortunately had, was<br />
only for 12 months. I knew if<br />
we didn’t get operational again<br />
within 12 months we were going<br />
to be out on a limb.”<br />
So in collaboration with the<br />
property owner and the insurance<br />
company, they set to work.<br />
Mr Townsend’s brother, Peter,<br />
was the architect and a new Famous<br />
Grouse was designed.<br />
The club continued to operate<br />
out of the back building, a later<br />
addition, with the doors opening<br />
to the brand new pub and accommodation<br />
in March 2012.<br />
Now as <strong>2018</strong> draws to a close<br />
the club is operating the pub<br />
successfully with manager Will<br />
Stock overseeing the day-to-day<br />
running.<br />
The club, which has about 600<br />
members, has recently bought the<br />
land behind the garden bar on<br />
William St with plans for future<br />
development.<br />
“We bought the land because<br />
we see it is a strategic intervention<br />
that gives us some say on<br />
how things are developed around<br />
the hotel,” said Mr Townsend.<br />
There are Tuesday night<br />
club gatherings, and other<br />
events throughout the year for<br />
members. Members also get<br />
discounted drinks.<br />
•Club membership<br />
application forms are<br />
available at The Famous<br />
Grouse.<br />
neW shoW hoMe open<br />
MonDaY to FRIDaY 10am to 2pm<br />
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Rolleston’s neW ReGIsteReD RetIReMent vIllaGe<br />
• Initial weekly fee of $75 includes rates & full insurance<br />
• Gated community and emergency call button in each villa<br />
• Two & three bedroom villas with single/double garage from $400,000<br />
• On Site Manager and a Pavilion and Bowling Green<br />
• Weekend viewing by appointment<br />
• Call Corinne 0<strong>21</strong> 292 1141<br />
www.manorgroup.co.nz
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