Crown Hotel Collie publican Mark McCarthy is bidding farewell to the town after nearly six years at the establishment.
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Mr McCarthy said he would take with him memories of the generosity of Collie people.
“I have never seen a town with so many raffles, the only reason there is so many raffles is because people are generous,” he said.
“I will miss the generosity that has been shown for every even we have ever held, that’s what I will remember about Collie the most.”
Mr McCarthy said he had witnessed the town transform over the years.
“I have watched the town change a lot with the things the council has done like the Art Gallery and the park and the skate park and how much the negativity that Collie used to have,” he said.
“People in Perth perceived Collie as a just a dusty mining town, which it is the total opposite.”
“I remember not knowing anything about Collie and I think one of the biggest things that drew me here was when I looked on the visitors centre website and how good they are at marketing Collie and that attracted me to come to the town and have a look.
“Collie is very relaxed but at the same time it is very bustling, and I don’t know how that works but it is just so relaxed, friendly town and it’s green and warm and welcoming yet it’s one of the most industrious towns in WA.”
Mr McCarthy said he was originally drawn to purchasing the Crown because of the warm and welcoming feeling it offered.
“I was looking for a pub and I had looked at so many pubs, I saw the Crown and immediately. It had a warmth about it that I didn’t get from a lot of the pubs I had looked at, it was homely,” he said.
During his time in Collie, Mr McCarthy said he had tried to curb the anti-social behaviour associated with alcohol.
“Country towns have always had a bit of a culture of anti-social behaviour, not all towns, but what I have tried to do in my time here is to try and curb that culture of coming to the pub for a fight, or seeing a fight and thinking it’s a good thing,” he said.
“I have tried to with everything I have done, is to try and create an environment where it is not cool to fight, and It’s not cool to spur the fight.
“It’s about trying to adopt a more mature drinking culture.”
Mr McCarthy said he had no solid plans yet as to what he will be doing next.
“My intentions are usually a five-year plan. I like to get a pub and do it up and do the best I can with it and move on, that’s always been my ambition,” he said.
“I am moving away from the town but I would still like to see things happen here.
“I just want to thank everyone for their support, it’s been good and I hope they continue to support the Crown and wish the new people well.”