By Brittany Busch
Preston bar Hard Rubbish always marches to the beat of its own drum. From the carpark-come-beer-garden shared with its neighbour, to the interior decked with debris, the establishment is small but packed with unique character.
Now the offbeat spirit of Hard Rubbish (or 'Hardo', as the locals call it) will pass to new hands.
But the bar isn’t being sold, the owners are giving it away - for free.
Charlotte Tizzard started Hard Rubbish with her brother James Tizzard and sister-in-law Katie Smith.
Charlotte said none of them had any special experience or piles of cash when they began, but they could pour a pint and that was enough to get them started.
“When we first opened, we just had one beer tap and no spirits. And I think we had a couple of bottles of wine and that was it,” she laughed.
When a broker suggested they list the business for $90,000, the trio considered what their own financial position was like when they got started, and it was “absolutely not” that.
“Who's got that kind of money just sitting around?’” Charlotte asked.
Charlotte said they did not get into the business to make heaps of money in the first place.
“We got into it to have somewhere to have beers and to make some friends. And we've gotten all of that out of it,” she said.
“We've achieved everything we wanted to achieve.”
Hardo will be given free of charge to one out of eight contenders shortlisted by the current owners.
A presentation night was held for the prospective new owners to pitch their visions to the locals.
The bar’s patrons have the opportunity to vote on their favourites with voting closing on Friday, November 18.
On presentation night the line for the bar was out the door. For those lined up, each step further into the bar seemed to bring a new friend into view.
Shouts of greeting were launched across the crowded room, as more and more people piled in. Those who couldn’t fit in the main bar were either sitting outside in the beer garden or spilling out onto the street, craning for a view inside.
A group of regulars gathered early to nab front row seats. With the legendary Pie Thief pies in one hand and a drink in the other, they were excited to see who would carry on the spirit of their local best.
Kathy, one of the regulars, said it was important to involve everyone who has been a part of the bar over the years as the community has grown tremendously.
“They could've just sold it, of course. But this is very Charlotte, this way,” she said.
Kathy said that a tight friendship has developed between regulars during the bar’s six and a half years, and as far as new owners go the group is looking for people who will keep “one foot in what it is and one foot moving forward”.
Kathy said the large group of bar patrons share a text message chain in which those who couldn’t attend asked the others to “pick which one suits me the best!” One regular called another over Zoom, so that she could watch the process remotely.
Charlotte said the owners would be taking the voting seriously too.
“We really want all the people that have, like, literally kept our doors open by coming here and spending money to have a say in who takes over their local,” she said.
“It's more than just somewhere to go and drink beers. It's like where you see your friends or meet new friends and, you know, there's a real community element to a local.”
“I am ready in some ways, but it will also be quite emotional, I think,” Charlotte said.
Kathy echoed this sentiment, saying that although change is hard, Hardo needs to evolve to make sure new people have a chance to form friendships in the space like she has.
“It might change a little, it might change a lot. And that's fine because the community is changing,” she said.
Kathy is aware that some people might scoff at her love for the place, but she knows something they don’t.
“It's more than a bar. It really is,” she said.
As for the owners?
“We’re looking forward to coming here as patrons and just hanging out and not having to fix things,” Charlotte laughed.
“It's time to hand it on.”