Mark and Belinda Sorrensen are preparing to bow out of The Bull's Head Hotel this weekend, after 25 years of involvement.

"When we sold the freehold, the new (Yarrawonga-based) owners requested us to stay, so we've been running it for the last two years," Mark said.

Now, the couple are gearing up for their final day of trading at the hotel this Saturday, with the Murphy Street business up for lease and ready for its next chapter.

"It's ready for someone to walk in and start trading," said Mark, who is believed to be the longest-serving of Wangaratta's current publicans.

"We wish any new tenant well in breathing new life into the place."

Mark and Belinda moved to Wangaratta from the Gold Coast in 2000 with children Jack and Olivia (then aged six and two), and quickly adopted the North East lifestyle - particularly the region's changing seasons.

"We're very grateful we made the decision to move here, it was a great place for the children to grow up, and we've loved it," Belinda said.

Taking the reins from Vic and Cheryl Valentini, the Sorrensens bought the freehold of the business in 2002.

It's been hard work - arriving to open the venue at 10am, and on the busiest nights in its heyday staying open until 1am, then cleaning up until 2am.

"We couldn't have imagined we'd be here for 25 years," Belinda said.

"They were long days, but they were fun."

At its peak, the business employed about 20 staff, many of them young people experiencing the workplace for the first time.

"Some would take on their friends' or siblings' jobs when they moved on, and they worked hard and enjoyed it; they often said it was the best workout ever, walking up and down the stairs to deliver meals," Belinda said.

Live music became a popular drawcard at The Bull's Head - including tapping into the success of the annual Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues - and the venue saw everything from Beer and Beef Club nights through to weddings, baby showers, milestone celebrations on the balcony overlooking Murphy Street, and even a divorce party.

"I was talking to a girl the other day who said some of her best memories are from times spent here," Belinda said.

"Lots of people have met here in the bar and then gone on to get married."

Mark said: "For people to approach you and let you know about that makes you feel good."

While it’s not something he had ever considered as a career, Mark said working in the bar at The Bull's Head had been "so much fun".

"We thought we'd model the place on something we'd like to visit, and we've loved watching people enjoy themselves," he said.

Belinda agreed: "We often heard from parents that their kids felt safe here, and that was so good to hear.

"We'd sometimes take people home at the end of the night, and Mark kept his old shoes out the back to give to anyone who needed them to go across to the GC (Grand Central).

"We feel really grateful to have been part of that time."

The Sorrensens hit prime time television in 2022 when The Bull's Head appeared on Channel Seven's 'Kitchen Nightmares', hosted by celebrity chef Colin Fassnidge.

"That was a very, very stressful week; we hopped in the car that first night (of filming) and didn't speak all the way home, and I said to Mark, 'I don't think I can go through with it', but we decided to give it a go," Belinda said.

"Colin was fantastic, and wished us the best; he said, 'You've got soul, and that's not that common anymore'.

"We had 25 crew here for a week, and I think it was one of the first times that Wangaratta had featured on TV like that - Milawa, Beechworth, Bright and lots of other places get a go, but it really highlighted Wangaratta and it looked beautiful.

"We had someone, soon after it was on TV, drop in to say they'd driven up the freeway and saw the sign to Wangaratta, so it definitely brought people in.

"We even had people here from Europe a few weeks ago who mentioned they'd seen the show.

"It was great for our town."

Belinda has been working in youth justice in Melbourne for the past two years, returning regularly while Mark has overseen the day-to-day running of The Bull's Head.

After this weekend, Mark plans to "relax for a while and take a breath".

There'll be more chance to go fishing, and he'll employ the skills learnt in his previous career, as a builder, assisting with daughter Olivia's apartment.

"I promised Belinda that when she turned 40 I'd take her to France - that's now a 15-year-old promise," he said.

"Next April we'll have been married for 35 years, so that might be the time."

Mark said he was looking forward to rolling out the Semisonic tune 'Closing Time' on Saturday night.

"The next day we might raise a glass of champagne and sit and reflect," he said.

He said the family's memories of running the venue would long be treasured.

"We've had our time in the sun and had a great time, now it's someone else's turn," he said.

"I hope whoever comes next are people with great ideas and energy."