A bit of history…

Choices can be hard: left or right, chicken or beef, sleep-in or run.
But some choices can be easy, like taking a trip over going to work – all you need to decide is Blue, or Brown.
This pair of truly beautiful buildings boasting sweeping verandahs, delicious food, cosy accommodation and unbeatable atmosphere, either The Blue or The Brown are the perfect place to rest your head after a day of adventure. Super iconic and a favourite spot in this stunning corner of New Zealand, why not   come see what true Kiwi pub hospitality is all about.

Deb Taylor and Dave Den Baars (Trev) became business partners over a year ago bringing the Blue and the Brown Pubs together under a new brand – The Methven Pubs. The new logo sports the famous old oak tree that has always stood between the two buildings. Both Deb and Trev are well known for their hospitality in Methven, between them they have been involved in cafes, clubs, restaurants and pubs for many years.

The Blue Pub and The Brown Pub are two iconic, historic buildings located just an hour away from Christchurch in picturesque Methven with intriguing pasts that has seen both emblazoned with fire and battling seismic shakes.
In 1918 The Blue Pub was engulfed in flames and only 4 years later The Brown Pub suffered the same fate. Despite their damage and further run-ins with the Canterbury earthquakes decades later, the two Methven social hot-spots have remained intact and have since undergone complete refurbishment including new family friendly rooms for The Brown.
It doesn’t stop there though, Samuels Venue (next to The Blue) has had a makeover and is now open for conferences, weddings, functions and large parties, as well as still being a great venue for live bands. and today their unification under the one banner of ‘Methven Pubs Ltd’ represents the solidarity they both portray.

The new era for both pubs was heralded after a series of unfortunate occurrences. First of all the September earthquakes damaged both venues totalling an insurance claim of over $1million, which the insurance company duly granted. Unfortunately, said insurer could not handle the influx of claims resulting from further earthquakes and promptly went into liquidation after the February earthquakes. The Blue and Brown Pubs were left damaged with no insurance money to complete the necessary repairs and while this would have trodden on many others’ spirits, Trev den Baars and Greg Snelling (owners of the Pubs at the time) were determined to rise once again.

The renovated pubs are part of the fabric of Methven and have been for over a century. The modern interiors contrast beautifully with the traditional exteriors which provide the droves of visitors with a glimpse into of the intriguing history of both establishments.