Apsley's Border Inn purchased by Melbourne couple

Melbourne's Shane and Catherine Bourke will become the town's new publicans after coming to an agreement with the former owners, and look to begin operating the business by July.

The couple come to the business with previous hospitality experience, Mr Bourke also has 20 years of experience at Australia Post and Mrs Bourke has previously worked in specialist health care.

For the previous owners, a consortium of 23 farmers from the area, saying goodbye to the inn was tough.

Former Border Inn shareholder Simon Robinson said the group made sure to vet all applicants for the building, to make sure the communal spirit of the venue would continue.

"Through the sale process, someone did offer us better than what we were asking for a residential space, and we declined it," he said.

"It made us feel warm and fuzzy because we had our hearts set on keeping the pub so we stuck to our guns.

"It has kept the town going. We are just thrilled to pass it on. The new couple is taking over by the end of July. They are looking forward to coming in. We are excited."

The sale comes after a tough two years for the business, which saw a heavy reduction in patrons due to the South Australia - Victoria border closure.

Prior to the farmer group purchasing the business in 2013, the Border Inn had been closed for two-and-a-half years.

By July 2014 the pub was back up and running. Mr Robinson said it acted as a meeting place that brought the community together.

"We opened in July 2014, and it was huge right from the very first day. Because we were paying everyone, it didn't even make a lot of money," he said.

"In fact, it had only broken even throughout that whole period. It needed, and it has now, a young, worthy couple and it will be a good business."

New owner Mr Bourke said he first saw the Border Inn on an ABC program and was touched by the community banding together to keep it afloat.

"I could just tell by the passion in their voices that they really wanted someone to come and take over the pub and get it to where they wanted it to go," he said.

"The pub was in a unique position because it was so close to the border that it was isolated. When things did come back online, the density rules did not allow them to do anything."

Living six hours from the pub, Mr and Mrs Bourke had to make the trip up to meet the former owners face-to-face, as well as get a feel for the community.

He said he knew the business was the right fit 'immediately', but also had to gain the trust of the considerate former owners.

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"We knew from the first hour that this was going to be right for us. We nodded our heads on the day," he said.

"I think we were probably being interviewed. I know they had other interests in the pub.

"There is nothing like a good country pub. If it is good, it has an atmosphere, it has all the things you want. There is nothing else like it."

The couple will begin management of the pub on July 5, and work towards a soft reopening in the near future.

Mr Bourke said he wanted to master the basics, and give Aspley residents a consistent hospitality experience, before exploring how to expand the business.

"We are not going to reinvent the wheel. The two number one sellers at the pub are Great Northern and a chicken parma. So we are going to have to do the chicken parma well," he said.

"We will keep the pub doing what they are doing at the moment. The pub is open on Friday nights, but we want to get it going. We are going to work our way through to a soft opening.

"The Wimmera, and the greater Wimmera, including when you go across the border into Coonawarra, is a great part of Victoria.

"I think, particularly for Apsley, we want to give them their pub back, as it should be and I am sure something will grow from that."

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