Former Christchurch resident, Georgie Whittacker (22), is now the hotel's general manager and licensee.
Miss Whittacker said this week she met a lot of regulars on Sunday night and the first question she was asked was would the new owner-operators keep the loyalty programme. The answer was yes, she said.
"I assured them we're not going to be putting in a wine bar, we'll still serve beer in jugs. We're not like that and Arrowtown's not like that.
"We like [the hotel] the way it is and there's no need to put neon lights around."
Miss Whittacker moved from Christchurch to Arrowtown on Sunday to officially start work on Monday, on behalf of a trust established by her father - experienced hospitality owner-operator Peter Whittacker, who has also relocated from city to village - and the John McCarthy family.
She said she would work mainly in an administrative role during the day and help out behind the bar during busy periods. She started her degree in commercial law and accounting at the University of Canterbury and intended to continue with her studies.
Her partner, Joseph McCarthy, trained as a chef, but preferred front of house hospitality, and was also moving to Arrowtown from Christchurch, she said.
The trust took over the lease of the 145-year-old premises, specifically the bar and restaurant and Fox's Bar downstairs, from Queenstown based Good Group Ltd, this week.
Miss Whittacker said she had worked in hospitality for six years, including two years in London and one year as a manager of the trust-owned Micky Finn's Irish Bar, in Christchurch. The bar was above the other trust-owned establishment, the Rockpool, both in Hereford St and now in the red zone.
With both establishments out of action and two residences rendered uninhabitable by the earthquakes, the Whittackers looked for businesses outside the stricken city. However, it was hard to find a good bar, Miss Whittacker said.
"The competition is far too high in Queenstown, and this place came up and it's a beautiful bar, it's got great potential, with a huge space downstairs.
"It was around Easter we came around to look at it and since then it's been an ongoing process dealing with the vendor.
The deposit came through last week and now we're here.
"At the moment, I don't think we'll change much. You walk in and it has a really nice feeling.
"Definitely a bit more promotion; there's not a lot of marketing done. Probably something with food, we'll see.
"It's a great place, Arrowtown, and [the New Orleans Hotel] is iconic. It's already quite successful, but we'd welcome any ideas from the public."
