The hotel was bought in 2017 by One Pro Blue Mountains Pty Ltd for about $2.5 miilion. The company, which is backed by Chinese interests, later submitted two development applications which were approved: One for the restoration and fit-out of the existing hotel, the second for the demolition of the adjacent motel and construction of a 39-room hotel.

The group planned to spend more than $20 million on the project. But, apart from erecting fencing around the site, nothing has been done and the grand old building and gardens have fallen into disrepair.

In mid 2022, One Pro Investment Group reassured the Gazette its plans to convert the pub into a boutique Radisson hotel would still happen but had been delayed by COVID and border closures.

By 2023, locals had become increasingly worried about squatters living on the premises and vandals damaging the deteriorating property. Doors had been forced and windows left open to the elements.

This sparked action by council, which met with the owners on site, raising concerns about the condition of the building and the accessible fencing.

Subsequently, the owners received written instructions on improving the security of the site and were issued clean-up notices for asbestos and a notice of intention to issue a repair order for the awning fronting the highway.

In June that year, Fire and Rescue officers responding to a fire alarm in the hotel were unable to get into the building without forcing entry.

The pub, which was built in 1878, had been a central part of life for the small community at the top of the Mountains.

The neighbouring Mount Victoria Motor Inn was built in the 1960s but has been closed for years.

The hotel and motel occupy more than 7,400 square metres in a prominent position on the corner of the Great Western Highway and Station Street. The pub has 28 rooms and the motel 11 rooms plus 10 car spaces.

The hotel and motel are for sale either together or separately through expressions of interest which close on March 28. See savills.com.au.