Community Contributed

Albion Hotel, Shannon

Kete Horowhenua2020-03-23T17:03:05+00:00
Located on the corner of Grey Street and Plimmer Terrace, Shannon.
Location2 Grey Street, Shannon

According to the The Cyclopaedia of new Zealand (published in 1897):

"The “Albion” was the first hotel erected in the young and rising town of Shannon (See photo from 1894 at left). It was built in the year 1889, and acquired by the present popular proprietor some years later. The Albion Hotel is now a fine two-storey sbuilding (erected circa 1925 after the previous one was destroyed by fire about 1915) - of wood and iron, containing fourteen rooms in all. A large and convenient commercial-room, well found in every respect, is set aside for the use of travellers. The dining-room, situated on the ground floor, is well lighted and attractively furnished. Besides parlours and bar there are nine good bedrooms in the house.

Club Hotel (Michael Moyniban, proprietor), Shannon. Established by Mr. G. O'Loughlin in 1888.

In October 2011 there was a fire at the Albion. The Horowhenua Mail reported:

Shannon will be missing an historic landmark, after fire gutted the top storey of the Albion Hotel yesterday morning, rendering the building beyond repair.

Eight fire crews, from Levin, Foxton, Shannon, Tokomaru, Foxton Beach, Palmerston North and Wanganui, arriving from 5am, to find the top storey ablaze, took five hours to put the flames out.

Fire services assistant area manager Kerry Stewart said the fire was extinguished by about 10.15am, and crews left the area soon after noon once final safety and thermal imaging checks had been completed.

Police closed State Highway 57 and diverted traffic until 11am.

Levin CIB Detective Steve Yates said its investigation, in conjunction with fire safety officers, showed a fault inside the building was the cause.

Fire safety officer Peter Fox said an electrical fault, probably originating at the power board inside the building on the top floor, caused a slow, smouldering fire which travelled through the walls, and up into the roof.

He said most of the roof had gone, falling through on to the first floor.

"The place will have to be demolished, there's no two ways about it."

The listed building, more than 100 years old, had been empty for several months after going into liquidation in May, following financial difficulties after the Horowhenua Community Trust gambling machines were closed down.

The hotel was in the process of being sold to new owners Jane Pollard and Kent Dunlop, who were due to settle this Friday.

Ms Pollard said the man who owns the dairy came banging on their door at 5.10am shouting "your pub's on fire".

"I can't believe it, we've just done so much work on it. I'm just gutted," she said.

The couple planned to completely renovate the pub, including an outside courtyard with French doors, and open early November.

Ms Pollard said the insurance company, which had recently mailed policy documents to the hotel, had now emailed copies to the couple that morning, to complete and send back that day.

"Hopefully we'll be OK but we don't even know if the purchase is still going through. It's all up in the air."

Bayleys commercial broker Dave Marriott, handling the sale, said comments from local business owner Kiwi Johnson in media reports, that the building was condemned because it was a fire risk, and would take $1.2 million to make compliant, were "quite misleading".

"There's been independent reports from building consultants to advise what work should be undertaken, but to suggest $1.2 million is just hideous.

"The reason for the sale was the previous owner put himself into voluntary liquidation . . ."

This the Albion has suffered several fires in it history: e.g. - in 1909 theWanganui Herald of 18 January 1909 reported:

Fire at Shannon

LEVIN, January 18. The stables and store room at the Albion, Hotel, Shannon, with the contents, were destroyed by fir© early on Saturday morning. The hotel had. a narrow escape. The shed was insured for £25, but the contents, valued at £500, were uninsured.

It was also not the first time a sale had caused dispute at the Albion - the Manawatu Standard of 4 February 1903, (Page 8) reported:

In the S.M. Court .yesterday, iv the case of Howard v. Curran, claim £150 in connection With the non-completion of the sale of the Albion Hotel, Shannon, judgment vvas reserved.

On the 26 January 1911 the EWanganui Chronicle reported a DARING ROBBERY:

Between 2.30 p.m. and 10.45 p.m. on Monday a daring robbery was committed at the Albion Hotel, Shannon, The licensee, Mrs. Hunora Calligan, left a small safe unlocked containing £13 in a private part of the hotel. The key was left in the lock. Thieives evidently entered from the passage and extracted the money.

There was another fire in 1915 - the Fielding Star reported:

The Albion Hotel, Shannon, was burnt to the ground shortly before 8.15 last evening. So far as can be ascertained, very little was saved.