If you've been meaning to go on down to the local pub for a beer or spritzer then best get around to it soon or you'll be too late. That's because the venerable Bowen institution is closing its doors on June 1.
In the 26 years it's been around, the pub has been the scene of countless celebrations, band nights, baseball team gatherings and pool games, along with one or two brouhahas. But owner Scott Witty, who bought it from Terry Cotter seven years ago, says this time it's really closing time. He doesn't intend much hoopla on the final day but expects there will be those who want to say goodbye.
"It's just not economically viable right now. It's a blue collar bar and there are just not enough blue collar people left on the island, and that's a fact," he said earlier this week. "But I look at it as a positive thing. It's the evolution of Bowen. The pub is like an old dog that's had a really good life and is looking for a place on the corner to lie down and have a rest."
Witty is going to keep his pub licence as he expects to find another location. He's looking into relocating to Seymour Bay but says that would likely be three or more years down the road. Friday, June 1, is your last chance to down that beer or spritzer at the current location of the Bowen pub. "It may be the end of one era," Witty said. "But it's also the beginning of another."
