Aubigny Hotel outside Oakey, Toowoomba owner to reopen pub just days after shock closure following dispute with publicans

Patrons of a popular pub in a small town will be able to return to their favourite watering hole soon, with the venue to reopen just days after its shock closure following a dispute.

UPDATE: A small towns’ popular pub will reopen to the public within days, not long after it was closed following a dispute involving the previous leaseholders.

Long-time Aubigny Hotel owner Gottfried “Fritz” Mayer revealed on Monday night the venue, located about half an hour out of Toowoomba, would be serving drinks again from Sunday, January 14 at 11am.

“We’d like to thank all of our patrons for your patience. The pub will be reopening on Sunday morning at 11am,” the post on Facebook said.

It comes less than a week after the venue was closed by Mr Mayer, following a dispute between himself and the previous publicans over alleged breaches to the lease agreement.

While the owner said there had been as many as five breaches for a range of issues, something denied by the husband-and-wife team who also criticised the manner of their eviction from the property.

Mr Mayer confirmed last week he would go back to running the pub himself after the most recent leasing period, which only started in October.

The news was met with plenty of optimism from patrons, many of whom were breathing a sigh of relief.

“Oh thank goodness it’s reopening,” one woman wrote.

“Good news, no one likes to see a business close down,” another user posted.

The sign on the front of the Aubigny Hotel outside Toowoomba, which closed last week.

Earlier: Dispute behind Aubigny Hotel’s shock closure

A dispute between a small town pub’s owner and its recently-appointed leaseholders has been revealed as the reason behind the venue’s sudden closure.

Residents west of Toowoomba were left shocked after the Aubigny Hotel shut suddenly, just weeks after new publicans started.

The venue, located about 30 minutes west of Toowoomba, announced on Wednesday via social media it was shut “until further notice”.

“Apologies to our locals and loyal customers,” the post said.

It comes just a few months after the new leaseholders took over the pub.

The husband-and-wife couple, who declined to be named, said they were sad to say goodbye to the residents of the surrounding area who had supported them.

“It’s heartbreaking for us, we’ve moved our two boys from school, and now they’ve got to move again,” the wife said.

“We’d like to thank the locals that supported us and we’re happy to have been involved and we’re sorry to go.

“We’d had bands organised for the coming weeks — the bar staff and some of the locals said they’d never seen it this busy.”

Aubigny Hotel owner Gottfried “Fritz” Mayer alleged the publicans had been handed breach notices for a variety of issues, before issuing an eviction notice this week.

Fritz Mayer in 2007. pic David Martinelli

He also said he would return to running the pub, however did not give a reopening date.

“The people that were there were handed a breach notice, five of them, and they were given an eviction notice — it was quite a few different issues,” Mr Mayer said.

“I’ll be going back in there myself, they’ve got two to three days to get out and then I’ll be going in there.”

But the couple disputed this, arguing they had not breached the terms of the lease and had been given less than three days to vacate.

“He (did not) change the liquor license over into our name, which was a concern (from the start),” the wife said.

“He turned up here with four guys (this week) and boarded up the doors told us we weren’t allowed to trade.

“We’ve made all our rent payments and all our obligations.”

The former publicans also said the dispute arose after they asked Mr Mayer not to drink at the pub.

“We asked the previous publican to stay away because we wanted to run it our way,” the woman said.

The news came as a shock to many residents, who expressed their sadness online.

“The new people were absolutely lovely such a shame to see this happen to them,” one local wrote.

“That sucks big time. Good little country pub,” another said.

Originally published as Aubigny Hotel outside Oakey, Toowoomba owner to reopen pub just days after shock closure following dispute with publicans