The claim
The ornate verandahed Kentish has anchored the South Auckland town of Waiuku since settler Edward Constable built it as an inn around 1851. RNZ's pub historians reckon it has the strongest claim to be New Zealand's oldest existing pub. It overlooks the Tamakae Reserve, but its current trading status needs confirming before a visit.
What the records show
Wikipedia's Waiuku article says settler Edward Constable built it as an inn in 1851 or early 1852, and calls it New Zealand's longest continuously licensed hotel. RNZ (2018) says it has 'the best claim' to be NZ's oldest existing pub. Trading in 2026 is unconfirmed, and we could not reach a working website for it in September 2026.
| Year | What | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1851 | Claimed founding | The pub |
| c.1851 | Present building | Building fabric |
| 1853 | First record of a drinking house here | Heritage New Zealand |
What to look for inside
- Claims NZ's longest continuously licensed hotel
- Built by pioneer settler Edward Constable
Visiting
The Kentish Hotel is in Waiuku, New Zealand. We do not list opening times, because they change; the pub’s own site is the place to check before you set out.
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waiuku
- www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2018660891/new-zealand-s-finest-historic-pubs
- www.heritage.org.nz/list-details/535/Kentish-Hotel
- thekentishhotel.co.nz/about-us/history/
- www.justice.govt.nz/tribunals/arla/register-of-licences-and-certificates/
Know something we don’t?Suggest a correctionLast checked Sept 2026
Run this pub? There is a badge for it
Free to put on your own site, no permission needed. It shows what the pub claims and what the records support, and it changes when the data does.
How to use it, and how to change what it says — if you have a document we have not seen, we would like to read it.
