About Your Hosts

Publicans Stan and Lynne O’Keefe are West Coasters of Irish origin.

In 1973, at the age of 35 years, Stan was awarded the MBE for his services to job creation on the West Coast.  The same year he also became the youngest person in New Zealand to become a Justice of the Peace.

When the O’Keefes took over the lease of what was known as Warners in 1986 it was down in the heel. But the Coasters have turned all that around. 

A trip to Ireland provided Stan with the idea of creating an authentic ethnic Irish bar.  Discussions were held to set up an in-house brewery in the cellars of Warner’s Hotel but eventually a most cost effective arrangement was made to import the genuine article.  In 1990 Bailies Bar was the scene of the public launch of Guinness in New Zealand.

Heritage lovers, they managed to broker a deal between the building’s owners, the city council and other parties to save the historic building from certain demolition. They then undertook massive restoration and refurbishment to return Warner’s Hotel to its former glory.

Stan and Lynne’s hospitality is legendary. They literally laid out the red carpet for American president Bill Clinton and his family who are staying 100m away at the Millennium Hotel.  Large star spangled red white and blue polystyrene letters invited them in for a cold beer. The invitation was not accepted but American Secret Service agents took turns taking photographs of each other under the message!

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