Armidale robberies: Bruce Walker and Jordan Waters charged with Powerhouse Hotel robbery in Armidale

Bruce Walker and Jordan Waters were both denied bail after fronting Armidale Local Court on Thursday - about 12 hours after the were arrested.

Walker faces six charges including stealing a car; aggravated break-and-enter in company; riding in a stolen car; and three charges of armed robbery with an offensive weapon.

Co-accused Waters is charged with two counts of stealing a car; aggravated break-and-enter in company; and three counts of armed robbery with an offensive weapon.

Neither of the accused entered a plea and were refused bail until the end of January.

Walker and Waters were arrested separately by New England police after an alleged attempted armed robbery at the Powerhouse Hotel.

Police allege a hotel manager was threatened with a tomahawk shortly before 2am at the Marsh Street hotel on Thursday.

The manager was allegedly chased by the two intruders before he managed to find a safe spot to call police.

Powerhouse Motel general manager Monty Maguire said there was only one staff member on at the time of the alleged attempted robbery, and none of the guests had heard a thing.

"They've then tried to ransack for money and found nothing. They stole some alcohol and then left the building," she said.

"We very rarely have money on premises because we don't carry cash. We're a credit card [business].

""All of our night staff have security training and policies and procedures are in place in case this does happen, which were activated last night."

One of the two men was allegedly arrested as he tried to leave the scene in a stolen car, while the second man was arrested at a home on Niagara Street.

Investigations are continuing into the whereabouts of a third suspect.

This is the fourth robbery in three weeks in Armidale, after bar staff chucked stools at an armed robber at the Whitebull Hotel on Monday night.

The staff were allegedly held up by a man aged between 18 and 20 years, who was armed with a 30cm knife.

The Wicklow Hotel was targeted on December 23, when offenders made off with a significant amount of cash. The BP on Marsh Street was held up at knifepoint on Saturday morning.

New England Detective Inspector Roger Best confirmed detectives are investigating links between the spate of armed robberies.