Our History

When The Russley Hotel, a well loved Canterbury watering hole, was built and opened in 1964, it was ahead of its time and became a famous meeting point for people of Christchurch and the rural plain beyond.  Maybe you were a guest... maybe you were married there... or celebrated someone's twenty-first.  Remember those Show Days?

In 2008 the iconic hotel was demolished and the extensive site was used for a high-end retirement community, The Russley Village.

The Russley Village has preserved the heritage and memories of the original hotel by engaging local historian Colin Amodeo to research and write 'Memories of the Russley', a beautifully presented collector’s item book. With 120 pages of stories and images, this is a proud item for any Cantabrian's coffee table.