The Crow Tavern sits on the town square in Picton, at the top of the South Island and the gateway to the Marlborough Sounds, and is the only tavern in town. Nestled in a residential area, it has served as a home away from home for Picton locals and tourists alike, with the current building having been through several names and many renovations since it was first built in 1863.
The tavern's history runs deep: originally built by Henry Bonnington and named The Rifleman, the building burned down twice under different owners before being rebuilt in its current form in 1951 by Ian Bing. In 1974, owner Terry McCashin converted the hotel into a tavern and renamed it Crow Tavern, a name rooted in local folklore about a Picton local who would crow like a rooster after his nightly drink at the hotel in the 1940s.
Today The Crow Tavern offers pool tables, dart boards, a garden bar, and what it calls the best toilets in town, along with a courtesy van for guests who need a ride. Meals are available from 5pm, and the tavern is also connected to Crow's Nest accommodation, bookable through Booking.com.
On the town square in Picton, at the gateway to the Marlborough Sounds, The Crow Tavern has been a fixture of the town since 1863. Surrounded by a residential area, it's the only tavern in Picton, and has built a reputation as a home away from home for both locals and tourists passing through.
The Crow Tavern's story stretches back further than most pubs can claim. It was built in 1863 by Henry Bonnington and originally named The Rifleman. Sold to William Clark in 1871, the building burned to the ground the following year — an event that helped spur the formation of Picton's voluntary fire brigade. Clark rebuilt and sold the property to Richard Nicholl's in 1873, who renamed it the Clarendon Hotel, only for it to burn down again in 1881. Nicholl's sold the land to Josiah Harris, who rebuilt the hotel and kept the Clarendon name.
Ownership passed to the Dwan Bros, Wellington brokers, who held the freehold from 1900 to 1939. In 1951, Ian Bing — the only known Chinese publican of that era — purchased the freehold, aware the building was about to be condemned by the council due to extensive borer damage, and rebuilt the hotel into the structure that stands today.
It was in 1974, under owner Terry McCashin, that the hotel was converted into a tavern and renamed Crow Tavern. The name traces back to local folklore from the early 1940s, when a Picton local named Peter Brunette would drink at the hotel every night, cycle home after his six o'clock swig, and crow like a rooster along the way. The tavern takes its history seriously, having compiled detailed records dating back to the mid-1800s, much of which has shaped the pub's design today.
Alongside its bar, The Crow Tavern offers pool tables, dart boards, a garden bar, and what it proudly calls the best toilets in town. A courtesy van is also available for guests who need a ride, and meals are served from 5pm each evening. For visitors wanting to stay the night, the tavern is connected to Crow's Nest accommodation, which can be booked through Booking.com.
The Crow Tavern is located at 15 Nelson Square, Picton, and opens daily at 12pm — closing at 10pm Monday to Wednesday and Sunday, 11pm Thursday and Friday, and midnight on Saturday. History buffs are encouraged to stop by and take a look around, given how much of the tavern's story is woven into its design.