Isle of wight hotel Phillip Island, no more

[Iceman]

It was the hottest pub in town last night
http://www.asfphotos.com/upload/1274577872.jpg

[Hagarr]

Damn shame , have had the odd beverage there over the years!

[Large]

I wonder if they can rebuild it in 4 months

[scotty]

not a bad photo that, the whole of cows was covered in ash.
the report,
The Isle of Wight Hotel in Cowes, Phillip Island, burned to the ground after fire broke out about 2.20am (AEST) on Saturday.

Up to 100 firefighters, including some who came from more than 100km away, fought the blaze but were unable to save the three-storey 1920s timber hotel south-east of Melbourne.
The fire is estimated to have caused $10 million in damage.

Detective Senior Constable Rob Brown of Wonthaggi police said the hotel manager had turned on the security alarm when he left at 2am, and the alarm was triggered seven minutes later.

The hotel's security firm contacted the manager, who returned to find flames up to 1.5m high running up an office wall.

Police forensic chemists and Country Fire Authority (CFA) investigators were trying to determine the cause of the blaze, but Sen Const Brown said they were concerned about why the alarm was triggered.

"Obviously we have concerns given there was a security alarm which has been activated," he told AAP.

"Now whether that's been activated because of the fire or prior to the fire we're unsure at this stage.

"The investigation is still in its early stages."

Permission had been granted for a huge redevelopment of the hotel, but owner David Gearing said those plans had already been put on hold due to the global financial crisis.

Mr Gearing said the hotel had been in his family for decades and the destruction of the landmark pub would be a huge loss for the whole area.

"We're very, very devastated. Words can't tell you how upset we are about it," he told AAP.

"We've had the hotel 30 years and a lot of blood, sweat and tears has gone into it and it all went up in flames last night.

"It's a huge loss for the whole area. It is a landmark hotel and a lot of people know it and the community's lost a great thing.

"The fire, police and ambulance were fantastic. They were there really quick but being an old Tudor-style timber hotel it was like a box of matches went off."

Mr Gearing said he also owned the Continental Hotel next door and he was trying to set up a temporary pub to give locals somewhere to go, and keep his 30-odd staff employed.

The CFA had warned local residents to keep their windows closed after asbestos-filled smoke from the fire filled the air, but the threat had eased by mid-morning.

[slickncghia]

it was a bit of a hole to be honest. hopefully the insurance money and a nice revamp might help

[80s freak]

Did a nice burnout in there a lot of years back.

[kevkatana]

Shame that is. Been shit faced there a fair few times. Even met Barry Sheene there.

[KATO ZX7]

Im going to miss that pub..

ive spent many a messed up night in and around that place, memories...........

[RevHead]

turn it into a biker pub wit underground parkin for our bikes,lol