Craig Mann and his wife, Teresa, spent three months renovating the hotel, which had been closed since February, in somewhat of a Scott Cam-inspired scene from The Block.
A strong dose of red, white and blue — representing Craig’s devotion to the Western Bulldogs — sits among a variety of carved signs and other unique collections.
The Echuca couple, now living on site at the hotel, has spent a good portion of the past four years travelling Australia.
Craig and Theresa will make the hotel a family affair when their Echuca-based daughter, Gysje, joins the team to work alongside the couple’s son Nathan and nephew Gavin.
“We’ve worked in pubs pretty extensively for the last 10 years,” Theresa said.
“We used to do summer seasons at Deep Creek Marina, for the houseboats.”
Tasmania and the top end of Queensland will now have to wait, the only destinations that weren’t included in the couple’s Australia-wide sojourn.
“We did 10 weeks at the Pink Panther Hotel in Larrimah (between Katherine and Daly Waters in the top half of the Northern Territory). The owner painted the pub pink, along with everything else on site.
“We built the pub up, because it had been neglected for some time.
“We have a reputation for going in and fixing them up. This time we’ve decided to do it for ourselves,” Theresa said.
After 24 years of marriage the Manns understand each other’s strengths, combining to present what they hope will be a fun and “quirky” hotel experience.
Craig is an ex-builder, having taught woodwork and welding in Echuca for almost a decade.
The all-rounders managed the Barmah Bridge Caravan Park for six months and soon after took on the challenge of Lockington Hotel for eight months.
“We were sick of fixing them up and building up the reputation for other people,” Theresa said.
The Criterion had been closed since February due to COVID and a lack of clientele.
“We had locals coming out to Lockington every Tuesday when the Criterion wasn’t open,” Theresa said.
The new ‘Cri’ is exactly that, a new kitchen and carpet supported by plenty of the Manns’ own touches. History remains a part of the hotel, with a salute to the 2011 floods and previous owners of the hotel.
“People won’t recognise the place when they come in,” Theresa said.
“We opened the doors on July 31 for the first time, but on our first meal service were forced into lockdown at 8pm.
“Then we re-opened the following Tuesday.”
The hotel is open seven days a week, for lunch and dinner every day.
“There had been a lot of noses pressed up against the windows in that three months of renovations,” Theresa said.
“The Cri has been around for a long time and has plenty of patrons.”
The couple has a five-year lease with an option on another 10 years, which is echoed in the attention to detail put into the renovation.
There are two putting greens alongside the billiard table, a collection of number plates hangs in the beer garden and the kids’ corner sits proudly in one of the dining rooms.
“People are wanting to get out and have a meal, so we make sure we abide by all the rules to offer them that service,” Teresa said.
“We have four rooms inside and the beer garden area out the back.”
