HOTEL'S DRAGONS HAVE WEIGHT ON THEIR SIDE

NORTHERN DISTRICT TIMES - 24 AUG 11 @ 08:28AM BY CONNIE PAPOUTSIS

THE new pair of dragons at the Eastwood Hotel have their claws firmly clasped to the ground and aren’t going anywhere.

Their predecessors were carried from the foyer in the early hours of Wednesday, July 6, despite the fact they weighed 60kg each.

One was found nearby smashed on the pavement while the culprit managed to escape with the other and has not been found.

Hotel manager Andrew Davis (pictured) said the dragon statues were replaced a few weeks ago.

“There is no way that anything will happen to these - they’re Dynabolted into the ground and each of these weighs 180kg,” he said.

In Chinese mythology statues like these are known as guardian lions. They are usually placed at the doors of a business or home.

The Eastwood Hotel has positioned its dragons at the entrance to the Dragon Den VIP lounge.

Mr Davis said the statues represent the “protector of a sacred building and the defender of law” and appear to have restored the hotel’s feng shui.

“People around Eastwood have noticed that the statues are back and we have had a positive response,” he said.

And while they have had no success in catching the man responsible for their disappearance, despite the widespread publication of some photos captured on the hotel’s security cameras, the new guardian lions won’t be taking flight - thanks to their trusty Dynabolts.