‘Closed for now’ … Jase Hounsell and April Hill, pictured in 2024 with chef Mark Wilde at The Farmer’s Inn Hotel, Burrumbuttock. Photo: Vanessa Hayden.
The publicans of The Farmer’s Inn Hotel at Burrumbuttock have announced the closure of the small Riverina pub just two years after purchasing it.
Jase Hounsell (well-known as the longstanding owner of Jase & Co Mobile Coffee) and his partner April Hill issued a statement on the hotel’s Facebook page on Tuesday (23 June): “After a lot of thought, we’ve made the difficult decision to close the doors at The Farmer’s Inn Hotel until further notice”.
“We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us, called in for a drink, shared a meal, came to an event, had a laugh at the bar or simply made this place what it has been.”
The couple officially became the pub’s new owners on 27 May 2024, eager to take on the challenge of reviving the heart and soul of a watering hole whose history spans 144 years.
At the time, the pair said they were keen to galvanise the support of the community to help restore to the town a family-friendly, good old-fashioned country pub.
And they had plenty of reason to hope that would be the case. No strangers to the district, Jase, April and the striking Jase & Co mobile coffee van had been a popular fixture on the corner of Urana and Walla roads on the outskirts of Jindera, serving coffee and plenty of friendly conversation.
Jase, who had lived in Jindera for 13 years, previously started the highly successful Mugachino drive-through in Lavington in 2011 before selling in 2020.
The couple relocated to the nearby village of Burrumbuttock ready to tackle the challenge of cleaning, restocking and renovating the rather rundown premises, admitting “there was a lot more to do than we expected”.
But they set to work and quickly began making changes including revamping the bar area, starting a beer garden and introducing meals focused on hearty pub fare as well as Jase’s own smoked meat specialties.
However the writing was on the wall earlier this month (8 June) when the publicans announced the “temporary” closure of the kitchen service, citing the pressures of an increase in operating costs and quieter trading period.
“This decision has not been made lightly, but it is necessary to ensure the long-term sustainability of our business,” they wrote in a statement to patrons.
“We would like to sincerely thank everyone who has supported our kitchen, whether you’ve joined us for a meal or recommended us to family and friends.”
The announcement of the pub’s closure this week comes on the back of an ongoing outcry by small business owners across Australia – including many in hospitality and retail – who say they are being suffocated by soaring operating costs, squeezed profit margins, and strict legislative demands.
Jase and April have thanked supporters for their kindness and memories that “mean more to us than you know”.
“This isn’t goodbye — just a pause while we work through what comes next,” they stated.
“We truly appreciate your understanding and support during this time and will keep everyone updated if and when things change. Thank you again for being part of our journey.”
