Where History Meets Hospitality
The Bealey Quarter has served as local gathering place for locals and travellers for 150 years, a remarkable history stretching back to the early days of European settlement in Canterbury.
Today we are a local hangout for lovers of good food, good beer, and good yarns.
Our venue is Christchurch’s ultimate hospitality hotspot, combining four experiences in one lively precinct.
Whether you’re looking to unwind in one of our three distinct accommodation spaces, host a memorable event in our private function room, or soak up the atmosphere at our bustling bar, we’ve got you covered.
The Bealey Quarter is Christchurch’s destination for unforgettable stays, events, and good times.
We want to celebrate the spirit of Samuel Bealey and bring his love of the great city of Christchurch to your experience with us.
The Man Behind the Name
So who the man whose name we honour?
The Bealey Quarter celebrates the legacy of Canterbury founding father Samuel Bealey (1821-1909).
A pastoralist with entrepreneurial flair, Bealey arrived in Canterbury from England in 1851, part of the wave of early European settlers encouraged by the Canterbury Association.
He soon became a prominent landowner and an influential pioneer of the region. When Canterbury was constituted a province, Bealey was one of the members for Chisholm in the Provincial Council and in 1863 was elected Superintendent, a key administrative position at the time, having considerable influence over regional matters such as infrastructure, land settlement, education and immigration.
The land at 263 Bealey Avenue originally belonged to Bealey. In 1906 a half-acre block was purchased from him upon which a hotel was built in 1865 by the provincial council to coincide with the opening of the West Coast Road in 1865.
There is a wonderful photo of the old Bealey Hotel from around the time of the Christchurch Exhibition in 1882, when coaches and travellers made their way across the Alps and the West Coast. The hotel was a crucial stop-off point.
Selwyn District Council’s “Selwyn Stories” tells us the hotel was first known as The Glacier Hotel (the Bealey Glacier is 16 kilometres away).
With a boom in tourism and gold fever, the hotel became a popular destination, providing hospitality to diggers arriving by coach before their long walk over Arthur’s Pass to the goldfields. It became so popular that publican James O’Malley upgraded the building by adding another story.
A Landmark That’s Stood the Test of Time
The Bealey Quarter has had many incarnations over a century-and-a-half, and quite a few names too.
In the 1950s it became the Gainsborough Private Hotel (and later in the 1990s it was rebranded the Gainsborough Travel Motel and Hotel and in 2005 The Speights Ale House Bealey).
The Gainsborough Private Hotel was seen as one of Christchurch’s premier establishments of the era and even up until the 1970s, the Gainsborough was synonymous with five-star fine dining in Christchurch.
In the 1990s the business was acquired by an Australian company and the name of our restaurant was changed to Outlaws, catering to families, groups and backpackers that stayed in the accommodation onsite.
The hotel suffered several fires including in 1937 – after which the hotel was rebuilt – and 1963 when it was again rebuilt, this time across the road from its original site.
In 2004 our Restaurant and Bar became known as The Bealey and the site in which it sits, along with our accommodation offerings, became known as the Bealey Quarter, the name of the hospitality and accommodation complex that we retain today.
In 2011 the Canterbury earthquake had a major impact. The accommodation at the rear was badly damaged though the restaurant and main bar survived.
Today our accommodation has been rebuilt, with The Lodge now one of the biggest lodge accommodation sites in the South Island.
In 2021 the site was redeveloped and rebranded The Bealey Quarter.
In 2025 Australian Venue Co acquired Original Sin, Fat Eddie’s, Kong, The Bog, Bealey Quarter, and Craythornes (The Halswell) in the Oxford Group’s hospitality stable.
Eat, Drink & Unwind
At The Bealey, we serve up a menu full of pub classics crafted with fresh, quality ingredients – think juicy burgers, hearty bangers and mash, and house-made pizzas – perfectly paired with a wide selection of beers on tap, wines and crafted cocktails.
Whether you’re craving a satisfying meal or a refreshing drink, we’ve got you covered.
We’ve also got local acts playing live each week, with everything from chilled acoustic sets to classics you can sing along to.
Stay With Us
As a hospitality and accommodation complex, we offer quality, affordable accommodation for leisure and business travellers and for large groups, with options to suit every need and budget.
We also offer a range of accommodation options in four distinct settings: The Lodge, The Courtyard, The Studios and The Bealey Restaurant, Bar and Function Room.
The Studios offer premium motel accommodation without the hefty price tag, The Courtyard for those wanting easy outdoor access and a spacious sunny room and The Lodge with self-catering for bigger groups.
Part of the Neighbourhood
With our deep connection to Bealey Avenue Christchurch we were saddened by the loss in 2011 of our neighbour The Carlton Hotel, which sat just 400 metres away at the corner of Bealey Avenue and Papanui Road, in the “Carlton Corner” area.
The original Carlton Hotel dated back to 1865, making it one of Christchurch’s oldest continuously licensed hotels.
The Carlton Hotel suffered severe structural damage in the 2011 earthquake and was demolished. The loss was considered one of the significant architectural and cultural casualties of the earthquakes.
We’re proud to be part of close-knit community.
on such a well-known street with a strong neighbourhood atmosphere. We have been part of this community for more than 150 years and are proud of its character and resilience.
We’ve heard stories for generations, and we look forward to hearing many more.
