Here’s cheers to The Namba and how it survived its anxious opening days

They can laugh about it now, but The Namba part owners Wayd Bailey and Shayne Daniel faced horrendous opening technical difficulties before getting on their feet.

The Namba has become a popular fixture in the Nambour CBD, with weekend dinners often booked out and some customers travelling by train from Brisbane for its Beef and Guinness pie.

But the operators behind the hotel on the corner of Currie & Mill Streets have revealed how the business faced major issues before they could even get on their feet.

Part owners, general manager Shayne Daniel and head chef Wayd Bailey, told the Nambour Chamber of Commerce Coffee Catch-up on June 4 that a near disastrous mix of missing takings, failed EFTPOS payments and an unreachable overseas provider forced them to borrow from relatives and friends just to keep the doors open.

The pair met while working at the Coolum Beach Hotel in 2021 and began discussing the possibility of running a venue on their own terms.

“We always spoke of doing something our way without the corporate control that you get with corporate venues, and expressing ourselves and creating our own identity and vision,” Mr Daniel said.

Mr Daniel had spent about 18 years working across hotels including Coolum Beach Hotel, Caloundra Hotel, Noosa Reef Hotel and Kawana Waters Hotel.

He later became involved in planning the Matso’s Brewery development at Eumundi before accepting an opportunity to manage the Club Hotel Namba in 2023.

He recruited Mr Bailey, an experienced chef whose career had included restaurants and venue openings across Noosa, Mooloolaba and the broader Sunshine Coast.

The pair soon discovered the hotel was dealing with the consequences of financial decisions made before their arrival.

“We were constantly chased by creditors, none of our own doing,” Mr Daniel said.

An opportunity to take over the lease arose in July 2024. Despite having almost no available capital, they accepted, rehired the staff and put everything on the line.

“We opened with nothing — nothing in the bank, less than zero in the bank actually,” Mr Daniel said.

Compounding their problems, their first weekend’s takings were deposited into the previous operator’s bank account.

The following two weeks of EFTPOS payments also failed to arrive.

The payment provider was based overseas, did not offer 24-hour support and its Australian representative was on holidays and unable to be contacted.

“So we’re borrowing cash from family and friends,” Mr Daniel said.

Mr Bailey joked that Mr Daniel had dark hair the week before the crisis.

“What a shit show,” he said.

“If we waited any longer, we literally would have gone bust. We needed money and we needed it straight away.”

Unable to wait for the technical problems to be resolved, they went to Officeworks and bought the only point-of-sale system available.

They then spent a day and a half rebuilding and reprogramming the system, hoping it would be ready for Saturday night.

“When we did open, there was a line-up up the street,” Mr Bailey said.

“Thank God for that.”

The Namba has since built a following around its pub meals, service and commitment to sourcing from local suppliers.

Mr Bailey said the business was not interested in allowing large corporate suppliers to undercut smaller local businesses.

“We’re committed to quality service, reasonable pricing,” he said.

“We’re food focused. We source from local suppliers, and we’re about the above-average pub feed.”

Mr Bailey said one of the greatest challenges had been overcoming negative perceptions about Nambour.

“I think we’re changing that one parmy at a time,” he said.

The hotel now attracts regular groups travelling by train, including Brisbane visitors who come specifically for the Beef and Guinness pie.

Mr Bailey said the pair remained hands-on and worked alongside their employees.

“We’re putting in the big hours. We’re hands-on. We’re on the tools. We’re working side by side with our teams,” he said.

“Sales are up year on year and we’re holding our heads above water. We’ve laid the foundations and now we’re ready to build.”

Their next step could include a licensed outdoor dining area as part of the long-awaited Mill Street streetscape improvements.

The pair are also considering another Nambour site, with an early vision for a family-friendly venue combining the town’s history with casual food and drinks.

“We want a welcoming space for everybody,” Mr Bailey said. “We look forward to growing with Nambour.”

The Namba is at 80 Currie St Nambour. Phone 0435 262 995. www.thenamba.com.