HOTEL FOR AUCTION

Press, Volume C, Issue 29602, 26 August 1961, Page 14

HOTEL FOR AUCTION

Britannia In Wellington

"The Press" Special Service WELLINGTON Aug. 25.

A well-known Wellington hotel which has been owned by one family for 65 years, the Britannia, in Willis street, is to be sold.

A director of the company, M- S. H. J. Duff, said the hotel was bought in 1896 by his grandmother. Mrs Sarah Duff, and she had taken an active interest in the control of the business. The Britannia was one of the few freehold hotels left in Wellington, said Mr Duff. The building was of three floors and covered an area of 5000 sq fit, including the back portion, which for 55 years had been leased by Wardells, the grocers. At one stage the back part was used as stables. Fairly recently a considerable sum had been spent on installing modern tanks and plant and renovating the building, including improvements to the street frontage A feature of the site was the right-of-way leading to the back, and this was jointlyowned by the hotel company and McKenzies, Ltd., which has an adjoining property. A personality of the Britannia is one of the barmen, Mr Tom Dunn, who has been there for 21 years. Regular patrons consider him almost an institution. The manager fMr S. C. Muir) has been there for 19 years. Mr Duff said the property would be auctioned on September 15. With the recent sale of the Royal Oak to a Hawke’s Bay brewery and the keen competition in the industry for outlets at present, it is expected the Britannia sale will attract considerable interest.