Neil Finn has bought the Edinburgh Castle, will ‘turn it into a wellness retreat’ | The Spinoff

![Neil Finn has purchased the oft-complained-about Edinburgh Castle ](https://images.thespinoff.co.nz/1/2026/05/edinburgh-castle.png?w=1290&fm=auto&auto=compress%2Cformat)

Neil Finn has purchased the oft-complained-about Edinburgh Castle

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![Neil Finn has purchased the oft-complained-about Edinburgh Castle ](https://images.thespinoff.co.nz/1/2026/05/edinburgh-castle.png?w=1290&fm=auto&auto=compress%2Cformat)

Neil Finn has purchased the oft-complained-about Edinburgh Castle

The infamous Auckland pub and hotel will soon be intentionally silent, thanks to its musical neighbour.

Legendary New Zealand musician Neil Finn has purchased the infamous Edinburgh Castle in Auckland, with intentions to transform it into a wellness retreat, a spokesperson has confirmed to The Spinoff.

Finn owns Roundhead music studios, which has lived two doors down from Edinburgh Castle on Newton Rd for more than 20 years. His wife’s business, the incredibly named Sharondelier, operates out of the same building. With this purchase, Finn will occupy nearly the full block, much to the delight of their Symonds St neighbours.

![](https://images.thespinoff.co.nz/1/2026/05/neil-finn-properties.jpg?w=1290&fm=auto&auto=compress%2Cformat)It is unclear who owns 153 Newton Road, now the filling in this Neil Fiin sandwich

Located on the corner of Symonds St and Newton Rd, Edinburgh Castle was built way back in the 1860s, one of a cluster of hotels erected at the top of Symonds St, and the only one still standing. At the meeting to determine its city licence in 1865, the licence was opposed by 60 residents of Symonds St, who believed a hotel wasn’t needed in the area and would “be likely to interfere with the peace of the neighbourhood”.

And disturb the peace it did. As a short-and-long term hotel, Edinburgh Castle played host to coroner’s inquests and other public meetings in the late 19th century. More than 150 years later and the hotel and pub has garnered a reputation for rowdiness and disorderly behaviour from its patrons. Such behaviour included a kidnapping, a stabbing, a manslaughter committed by a patron leaving the pub, and, according to [a 2025 Stuff report](https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360776764/nunchucks-manslaughter-booze-bid-u-turn-notorious-pub), a massive 162 police complaints.

In 2023, Edinburgh Castle surrendered its liquor licence after its renewal was fiercely opposed by locals as well as the police. It remained open for another two years as a hotel – including special “three hours” rates – and pokies destination. Even without alcohol for sale, its continued operations as a gambling hub were wearing heavily on neighbouring businesses.

[In July last year](https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360767304/was-our-dream-restaurateurs-fight-pub-haunts-his-street), Paparazzi italian restaurant owner Sashe Sterjov described aggressive begging from patrons outside his restaurant, and when customers didn’t abide, “they’ve got angry and smashed things”.