Smeaton publicans close shop because of repair costs, harassment

The immediate future of a popular country pub is uncertain after its publicans announced their departure after continued setbacks. Read more.

Publicans James and Caleb Consiglio ran the Cumberland Hotel in Smeaton.

The only pub in a regional town north of Ballarat will close as its most recent tenant-operators depart in the wake of “hate and harassment”.

Publican James Consiglio in February reported being the victim of a homophobic attack outside the Cumberland Smeaton, which he ran with his husband Caleb.

The incident left the pair shaken and James with injuries which forced the pub to temporarily close.

It was not their first setback: late last year a car smashed into the hotel and caused thousands of dollars’ worth of damage.

A car hit the Cumberland Hotel in Smeaton on December 6, 2022 following a crash at the intersection outside. Photo: Contributed

On Monday the Consiglios announced they would move on from the venue less than six months on from when they took over.

“It was never easy, we never thought it would be, but we also never knew that we would be subject to so much hate and harassment from a small handful of community members,” they wrote online.

“We have made the tough but necessary decision to close the pub, and move on. We do not want to be another failed marriage. Nor should we be the subject of hurtful, pathetic and disgraceful rumours.”

“...We sadly got to the point where we could no longer keep fixing capital repairs at our own expense, we could also not operate a pub that was unsafe for our staff to work in and for our guests,” they said.

“We could not make the uneducated see sense and uphold accountability.”

James and Caleb Consiglio.

But James and Caleb thanked their patrons for their loyalty to their “162-year-old girl”, thought to be the oldest weatherboard pub in Victoria.

“We started on this journey, newlyweds,” they said.

“We found a place we wanted to call our forever home, a place where we could offer exceptional food, local beer, wine and spirits, a community affair, and we did just that … The birthdays, engagements, Christmas parties, hens parties, the morning chats over a bacon and egg roll.

“We will forever cherish these.”