Lynne Schenck left isolated, helpless as border closure brings iconic business to halt

A desperate publican is pleading for help as her 100-year-old beloved community pub’s ‘doors are virtually closed’ and concrete barricades stop patrons from accessing their local.

A desperate publican says the future of her historic 100-year-old pub is in jeopardy as huge concrete barriers cut her off from the patrons stuck just metres away on the other side of the border.

The Jennings Hotel, which is located on the NSW side of the border just metres from Wallangarra Railway Station and the pub’s rich Queensland customer base, has been isolated by the State Government’s border restrictions.

In August when the hard border closure was implemented, large concrete bollards were placed in front of the community’s beloved pub, barricading it off and preventing residents and visitors to the region from stepping foot inside.

Owner Lynne Schenck has owned the iconic watering hole for more than 14 years and said things have become incredibly dire but she fears worse is still to come.

“I was in a comfortable position prior to lockdown, but the fact of the matter is that a country pub is not a money-maker. There is $10 right now in my business account,” she said.

“It’s been the worst experience ever. My doors are virtually closed because there’s just no trade.

“I run it in on my own but it’s useless me even trying, I haven’t bought grog for four weeks but I still have my cool room on so my costs are still there.”

Despite raising her concerns with the government and authorities, she said nothing has yet been done to help her situation.

Jennings Hotel owner Lynne Schenck barricaded behind bollards. Photo: Madison Mifsud-Ure / Stanthorpe Border Post

She is now pleading for someone in power to at least visit the community to assess her predicament and see it themselves.

“I’m off the highway and so the bollards have tremendously impacted me. It’s cut off all my business, I just won’t survive,” she said.

“Now literally I sit here in the pub and watch them drive up to the bollards take a photograph of the pub and go up on to the railway station and go to the bar.”

During the four-week hard border closure Ms Schenck was alone in the pub with no family or partner.

She said the whole ordeal has hit her mental health hard.

“If I don’t trade, I don’t get any people and the isolation that has been created by the mandatory rules has overall impacted me,” she said.

Ms Schenck was forced to let go of all three of her staff, with no patrons to justify having them on.

“I’ve been here 15 years and to see it taken away from you is really sad,” she said.

“I’ve got no control, the pub is 100 years old next year and it was my dream and my aim to try and do a celebration and I can‘t tell you whether yes or no if that will even happen,” she said.

Visitors and residents are unable to enter the beloved pub at Jennings Hotel due to large concrete bollards. Photo: Madison Mifsud-Ure / Stanthorpe Border Post

Wallangarra General Store owner Bronwyn Brierley said it was heart-wrenching to see her fellow business owner battle through the ordeal.

“We know from our own experiences that the border turnovers have been down but its been hard on her, the whole thing,” she said.

“Just looking out the window with authorities saying no one is allowed to come over to the business... mentally for her it wouldn’t be too good.”