Neil Finn Buys Auckland's Infamous Edinburgh Castle, Plans Wellness Retreat

Key facts

• Neil Finn purchased the Edinburgh Castle pub and hotel on Auckland's Newton Rd.
• The property, built in the 1860s, was the site of 162 police complaints as of 2025.
• Edinburgh Castle surrendered its liquor license in 2023 after local opposition.
• The hotel lost its gambling machine license on November 30, 2025.
• Finn's Roundhead music studios are two doors away; his wife's business Sharondelier operates from the same building.
• Finn now owns nearly the full block on Symonds St and Newton Rd.
• The wellness retreat plans await planning permissions before proceeding.

A Notorious Landmark Falls Silent

The Edinburgh Castle, a pub and hotel that has stood on the corner of Symonds St and Newton Rd since the 1860s, has quietly closed its doors. Its new owner, Neil Finn, the legendary New Zealand musician and frontman of Crowded House, intends to convert the site into a wellness retreat, a spokesperson confirmed on Monday. For more than 150 years, the establishment was a fixture of Auckland's nightlife, but also a source of persistent disorder. Police records show 162 complaints linked to the pub by 2025, including incidents of kidnapping, stabbing, and a manslaughter committed by a patron leaving the premises. The purchase marks a dramatic shift for a building that has long been a headache for neighbours and authorities alike. Finn's acquisition, which also includes the adjacent properties housing his Roundhead studios and his wife's business Sharondelier, gives him control of nearly the entire block.

From Rowdy Pub to Peaceful Retreat

The Edinburgh Castle's troubles escalated in recent years. In 2023, it surrendered its liquor license after fierce opposition from locals and police, yet continued operating as a hotel and gambling venue. The presence of pokies machines attracted a clientele that neighbouring businesses found increasingly intolerable. Sashe Sterjov, owner of the nearby Paparazzi Italian restaurant, described aggressive begging from patrons outside his establishment, with customers who were refused becoming angry and smashing things. The stress of the pub's unruly operations contributed to neighbourhood tensions, culminating in a bizarre incident last week where Sterjov threw spaghetti on a neighbour's cafe window and physically confronted him over a wheelie bin. The hotel lost its gambling machine license on November 30, 2025, removing the vast majority of its revenue overnight. The building has now shuttered, its doors closed as Finn's plans take shape.

A Musician's Quiet Expansion

Neil Finn's connection to the area runs deep. His Roundhead music studios have operated two doors from the Edinburgh Castle for more than two decades. His wife's business, Sharondelier, shares the same building. With the purchase, Finn becomes the dominant property owner on the block, a move that has delighted neighbours. A local business representative, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed confidence that the problems would be resolved under the new ownership, calling Finn a 'really good' owner. Another business owner said the community was 'buzzing' with the rumour that Finn had acquired the site. Finn's spokesperson initially declined to comment when approached last week, but confirmed the purchase on Monday, stating: 'Neil has purchased the Edinburgh Castle and intends to turn it into a wellness retreat.' No further details were provided, with the spokesperson adding that 'it will all start once planning permissions are approved.'

A Legacy of Disorder

The Edinburgh Castle's history of disturbance is nearly as old as the building itself. When its city license was first considered in 1865, 60 residents of Symonds St opposed it, arguing that a hotel was unnecessary and would 'be likely to interfere with the peace of the neighbourhood.' Their fears proved prescient. In the late 19th century, the hotel hosted coroner's inquests and public meetings, but its reputation for rowdiness grew over the decades. By the 21st century, it had become synonymous with disorderly behaviour, drawing repeated police attention and community complaints. The loss of its liquor license in 2023 did not end the troubles; the hotel continued to operate as a gambling hub, with pokies machines drawing a steady stream of patrons. The final blow came last November when the gambling license was revoked, leaving the business with no viable revenue stream.

What Comes Next

The transformation of the Edinburgh Castle into a wellness retreat is contingent on planning permissions, which have not yet been sought. Finn's spokesperson declined to provide a timeline or further details about the proposed facility. For now, the 160-year-old building stands empty, its doors closed for the first time in its long history. The neighbourhood, long burdened by the pub's excesses, is watching with cautious optimism. Finn's purchase represents a remarkable turn for a site that has been a source of conflict for generations. If the wellness retreat proceeds, it will mark the end of an era for one of Auckland's most infamous addresses, and the beginning of a new chapter shaped by one of New Zealand's most beloved musicians.

The bottom line

• Neil Finn has purchased the Edinburgh Castle pub and hotel in Auckland, planning to turn it into a wellness retreat.
• The 160-year-old building had 162 police complaints, including violent crimes, and lost its liquor and gambling licenses.
• Finn already owns adjacent properties, giving him control of nearly the full block near his Roundhead studios.
• The purchase resolves long-standing neighbourhood tensions caused by the pub's unruly patrons.
• The wellness retreat plans await planning permissions; no timeline has been announced.
• The Edinburgh Castle has been closed, ending its 160-year run as a hotel and pub.