The duo, who signed onto a 25-year lease for the business just under a year ago, denied they were behind in rent and were prepared to sign a revised agreement with the hotel’s owners, Hawksview Hotel Group, after some rent relief had been afforded during the quieter winter months.

“Why would we want to leave after we’ve gone through the winter and are moving into the summer months when we’ve got all these functions booked?” Mr Birse said.

“We want them to be reasonable and allow us to keep trading.

“We understand the staff concerns, but it was taken out of our hands.”

Tension also existed between Mr Birse and Mr Quinn and the owners over the condition of the building and claims maintenance requests were not acted upon and some alleged legacy debts to suppliers.

The pub has been shut until further notice after the locks were changed on Monday morning.

But, Hawksview Hotel Group director Chris Moscher said there would be no change of heart from the owners towards Mr Birse and Mr Quinn.

“The current tenants have breached a legal binding lease on several occasions,” Mr Moscher said.

“One of which is the rent.

“The landlords have not made a single breach to the lease.”

Mr Birse and Mr Quinn were also surprised to learn the owners had been speaking with prospective replacement operators when they were hoping to strike terms in a new agreement.

Mr Birse said he and his business partner had photographic proof of the building’s poor condition including a leaking roof.

“We were supposed to be buying a business where the building was in good, safe, working order,” he said.

“But builders have told us the whole building needs re-stumping.

“Because it needs re-stumping all the walls are dropping and gaps are starting to appear.”

“But I still think it’s an amazing building and it’s got the ability to have all these huge events.”

Mr Birse and Mr Quinn relocated from the NSW central coast to take over the Kinross with both having previous pub experience in Australia and overseas.

Mr Quinn is also battling cancer.

“If it’s not resolved, I’ve got nothing left,” he said.

“I put my house on the market to come down here and had to sell other investments to keep the place going.

“With my cancer there has been all this added pressure put on.”