Once the rubble clears, the tavern's site will be home to an apartment with 102 units by 2020.

The Kings Arms has been a part of inner-city life for over 130 years, today marks the end of that era as the building is reduced to rubble.

While the historical pub, nestled into the Auckland suburb of Newton closed its door on February 28, demolition of the site has been a long time coming.

The well-known music venue was sold to developers Urban Collective in 2016 and an apartment complex will be built on the site by early 2020.

Urban Collective bought the pub and its grounds from former owner Maureen Gordon for $7.4m.

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Lynnie Howcroft has lived in the area for 18 years and said seeing the Kings Arms being demolished was "very sad".

Abigail Dougherty International acts such as the White Stripes, the Black Keys and the National had all played at the pub.

The heritage enthusiast went out for a coffee a few days ago and "stumbled upon" the early stages of its demolition.

"We've lived in the area for 18 years so it's been a part of our community," Howcroft said.

"My boy had his 21st [birthday] there and there have been a whole lot of gigs going on there.

"There's been gigs going on there almost non-stop."

The Kings Arms had launched new bands, big bands and international bands had performed there, she said.

"It's got great bones in it," Howcroft said. ​

Abigail Dougherty The Kings Arms in the week leading up to its demolition.

The Kings Arms was a rare old-style venue with a beer garden and two large bars - one for music and the other a typical sports bar.

But despite the age of the building, the pub had no heritage designation.

Urban Collective's spokesman Steve Groves said 102 new apartments would be built on the site.

SOURCED Inside the tavern in 2016.

"We'd been looking at the site for 10 years prior to buying it, it's such a handy spot near to entertainment and education facilities without having the noise of the middle of the Auckland CBD."

Groves said the former Kings Arms owner and matriarch, Maureen Gordon, had been negotiating to buy her own apartment prior to her death in 2017.

Howcroft said she was sad to see the building go and believed it was the wrong decision.

"It's a piece of history, I do agree we need more housing in Auckland but it's still hard to see a place with such rich history be knocked down.

"Either way, it's too late now."