Albury’s oldest pub, Soden’s Hotel, is looking at a massive repair bill after a reckless driver crashed into the 163-year-old heritage building, bringing down its awning.
Around 3am on Saturday a 24-year-old driver, allegedly seen driving erratically and doing burnouts, appears to have lost control of his Ford Futura, crashing through three poles suspending the awning out front of Sodens Hotel, on the corner of David and Wilson Streets.
Built 1857, it is the oldest surviving pub in the border town, and famed for its street appeal.
According to police, the man fled in a taxi, leaving the damaged car at the scene.
Publican Brendan Tracey got an early phone call informing him what had happened, and potentially in a state of shock he paused before his wife Lyndall suggested “aren’t you going to go down there?”.
“It just didn’t register,” he says. “It was like I was dreaming.
“I only live two blocks away, so drove down here and when I saw it thought ‘what have I done wrong’. The year I want to forget bites again.”
A couple of hours later, the veranda collapsed due to the damage to the load bearing poles.
Tracey says the damage bill will be at least $200,000. Everything will be restored, according to heritage listing protections, but the damaged section is a safety risk and will be coming down tomorrow.
Police report the driver was arrested around 10.45pm the same day, charged with unlicensed driving, negligent driving not occasioning grievous bodily harm, and not giving particulars to owner of damaged property. He was granted bail and will face Albury Local Court again 21 December.
Soden’s has been able to continue trading, but the area closest to the damage is the function space, so that won’t be in operation for a while.
The carnage took place just hours before the border with Victoria was set to reopen, and heading into tourist season, Albury’s busiest time of the year, Tracey says it couldn’t have come at a worse time.
Pending assessment by Heritage NSW and insurance, he hopes they can start rebuilding in the fantastic new year of 2021.
“I can’t believe this year, mate. Full stop.”
