Opened 1856 | ||
Address Corner of Leicester and Pelham Streets, Carlton | ||
The Carlton Inn is a former pub in Carlton, Victoria, Melbourne, built c.1856. It was demolished without planning or heritage approval on the weekend of 15 and 16 October 2016.
Contents
Before demolition it was one of the oldest buildings in the Carlton area. In its last years it was known as the Corkman Irish Pub.
History
A quarter acre crown allotment at the corner of Leicester and Pelham Streets was sold to R Hepburn in 1853, who subsequently subdivided the land into numerous small allotments wuith the corner lot measuring 70 by 70 feet. The Carlton Inn was licensed in 1856 to George Edmonds. Soon after it was transferred to John Cozens. The Noble Family were proprietors for about a century from 1863, when a Mrs Noble was listed as owner in the rate books, through to William K Noble of Mirboo who was owner in 1923 to 1936, and then the Estate of W. K Noble in 1954.
In 1933, architects Thomas Watts & Sons designed a new rear addition valued at £500 including new kitchen, and alterations to the front bar. The works were carried out by builder G. G. Edwards of North Brighton. In 1936 a new two storey section was built on the eastern boundary costing £700. Additional bedrooms and relocation of the kitchen (which had previously been a billiard room, were undertaken by Harry J Johnston with designs by architect J A Trencher of Caulfield. In 1954 architect Harry J Little designed further alterations including single story sections for laundry, toilets, garage and fuel store, replacing former outbuildings. Building was undertaken by R J Johnstone of Mitcham.
In recent years the hotel was known as the Corkman Irish Pub, with a large student clientele, and Traditional Irish music sessions.
The site is included in the City of Melbourne Heritage Overlay (HO85) where it is described as:
historically significant as one of the earliest extant buildings in this part of Carlton, which has undergone substantial change since the time of its initial phase of construction in 1857. The Carlton Inn is of aesthetic significance as a good example of the Victorian period. The façade is relatively plain and generally indicative of the early to mid-Victorian period, though the parapet may date to the later Victorian period. The façade has a stucco finish but the original corner section may be partly stone.
A nearby building proposal was objected by the Carlton Association due to the impact it would have had to the adjacent heritage places, including the Carlton Inn.
Building
The Carlton Inn was a two story brick and bluestone hotel with rendered facades in a simple Georgian style. It had a brown tiled dado on the Pelham and Leicester Street facades, and a balustered parapet with urns.
Demolition
In August 2016, the hotel was purchased for $4.76 million ($1.76 million above reserve) by a company known as '160 Leicester Pty Ltd' owned by Stefce Kutlesovski and Raman Shaqiri of Markland Investments. A suspicious fire broke out in the hotel on 8 August, and on Saturday morning 15 October, demolition was commenced by Shaq Demolitions and Excavations. A stop order was issued by a City of Melbourne officer on Saturday, but the demolition contractors returned on Sunday and completed the demolition.
Reaction and rebuilding campaign
Media response to the demolition included coverage in all the principle State and National radio, television and print news media, with both the Victorian Planning Minister Richard Wynne and Lord Mayor of Melbourne Robert Doyle conducting media interviews on the site. Councillor Doyle referred to the illegal demolition as "the most brazen and wanton act of vandalism" he had seen in his political career.
In response to the incident several calls were made for increasing penalties for illegal demolition. An investigation investigation by the Victorian Environment Protection Authority confirmed the presence of asbestos on the site.