The Haunted Halfway Hotel at Beverly, South Australia

 Halfway Hotel - Beverly

With over 165 years of history, the Halfway Hotel at Beverly is one of Adelaide's longest licensed hotels, with only The Edinburgh Castle in Currie Street serving longer, opening it's doors in 1837.

The hotel has no only been a favourite drinking hole, but accommodation for many weary travellers, immigrants and dignitaries coming into Adelaide.

The hotel got its name from being the halfway point for travellers coming from Port Adelaide into the City of Adelaide.

The hotel has long been rumoured to have ghosts. Reports of strange whisperings, lights switching on and off, alarms sounding when no-one is there, and sightings of a wispy figure floating through the bar. There are even reports of bottles flying off the shelves in the drive-through of their own volition.

Urban legends have grown around this pub, with one being the rumour of a man hanging himself in the cellar. This unreferenced event is the alleged source for all the reported paranormal goings-on in the hotel, unless you talk to former staff and caretakers, who cite a former patron they have named “George”.

George has been reported to have the ability to move large objects, much like a poltergeist. His biggest move was to turn all the kegs in the cellar upside down one night, which was found the following morning by staff.

George is also attributed to disembodied footsteps heard walking through various areas of the hotel. He also loves to move furniture around, rearranging whole rooms.

Although most staff agree the hotel is haunted, George is not known for being evil, vindictive or nasty, but rather he is a jokester and a friendly ghost who likes a little recognition now and then.

©2015 - Allen Tiller