Renovations are currently under way at the Tiger Hotel at Tantanoola, fuelling speculation that it is set to reopen in the near future.

The rumour mill suggests a Millicent retailer will reopen its Railway Terrace doors.

They closed almost 18 months ago when the incumbent licensees chose not to renew their lease.

Adelaide-based investors are understood to own the freehold.

Founded as the Railway Hotel around 140 years ago, the first publican was Aaron Lane who also founded hotels at Millicent, Southend and Beachport.

Over the past decade or so, the lease has frequently changed hands and there have been lengthy periods of closure.

The Tiger Hotel is famous for displaying the so-called Tantanoola Tiger in a glass case in the front bar.

In 1893, there were reports of a strange animal in the Tantanoola area and it was described as a tiger.

The so-called “tiger” was killed in 1895 and it was discovered that it was actually an Assyrian Wolf.