Town without a pub: Hotel's closure leaves punters with little to cheer about

The Doodle Cooma Arms Hotel closed abruptly earlier this month.

It had changed hands a little over a year ago, but residents lamented that the new owners "tried to turn it into a city pub".

The hotel, the only pub in town, has changed hands several times over the past couple of decades and was built in the 1880s.

Henty's Stephanie Hanckel said closing it was wrong given it was the only pub they had.

"Henty isn't a big town but it's essential to have a pub," she said.

Mrs Hanckel said it was appalling that not only were the prices dear but the locals didn't feel as comfortable to go there as they once did.

"You can't do that," she said. "Not in a rural pub."

Many people had taken their custom to the Henty Bowling Club, but Mrs Hanckel said it wasn't the same.

"The pub brings the community together," she said.

"I'm not a pub person, but if you go to the pub you get a decent meal for a cheap price and these people were doing the opposite."

Leigh Rowel said Henty wasn't the same without the historic pub.

"It's pretty critical to have one here," the Yerong Creek resident said.

"But the cost of the meals and the beers were just unrealistic."

Mrs Hanckel agreed, noting the place was being turned into "upper class".

"We need a pub, a real Australian pub; you go to the outback, they've got pubs - it's needed."

Henty's Bob Jacobson said it was unfortunate the owners lost local business.

"With the size of this place, it's important to have a pub," he said.

"The new owners came in 12 months ago thinking they would get all the tourists in, but there's no tourists here.

"I think all pubs are struggling at the moment, and now that this one is shut I don't know whether they'll ever open again."

But fellow resident Richard Sparkman said he didn't understand why people were shocked by the news, given "it's purely an economic thing now".

"The price of beer is going up and we're living in hard times so of course it's hard to go in there," he said.

"It's a shame but it's not the end of the world. We won't go thirsty."

Di Janetzki said although she wasn't a drinker, the Doodle Cooma Arms was a great place for people to meet.

"The pub would typically sponsor sporting clubs and we would do raffles, it's a place for community," she said.

"The bowling club is having a bit of a win, but even they've said they would still like the pub back."

Mrs Janetzki said it would be good if the selling price (shy of $1 million) could be reduced so someone could look at buying the business.

"When I lost my father-in-law there was nowhere in town that was open for a meal (for the wake)," she said.

"That was tricky, it would have been nice to have something.

"It's disappointing."

The Border Mail attempted to contact the owners over consecutive days but did not receive a response.