New Year’s the last hurrah at Nyabing Inn

New Year’s Eve will be the last event held at the Nyabing Inn, before the pub gets demolished and rebuilt as part of a $1.6 million project.

Christie Smith, who is part of the Progress Association, which owns the building, said the community felt there was a strong need to redo the local pub.

“We received support and grant funding from the Great Southern development commission and the National Stronger Regions funding to build a community hub,” she said.

“It was decided that it was financially better to just knock down the current building and start over, rather than renovate.”

Part of the project included a building set of accommodation units, which were done last year, and a three-bedroom house for the people who lease the building.

Mrs Smith said the redevelopment was a huge asset for Nyabing and surrounding communities.

“The pub has been around for a long time, so it’s a huge thing for our community as well as surrounding towns where these sorts of projects haven’t happened yet,” she said.

“We’ve already had a lot of phone calls from other towns asking us how we did it — and it’s been great being able to lead other communities.”

Victoria and Pepe Dart are the current lessees of the building.

Victoria works in the bar while her husband is the chef.

“We are expecting a lot of people on New Year’s Eve because everyone in town as well as other local communities will want to come and have their last drinks at the pub,” Mrs Dart said.

“There will be a DJ, a barbecue out the back and we are trying to get some local people to do some speeches.”

Demolition starts in January.