Hotels have always played an important part in community life in South Australia. Early hotels were used as semi-official establishments, operating as local government meeting rooms, public halls, committee rooms and even post offices. Our state is endowed with a wealth of historic hotels, set in prominent positions within the townscape. Just about every country town and Adelaide suburb retains at least one nineteenth century corner "pub". For some the future is bright with recognition that historic character and a sense of continuity provide an ambience that can’t be manufactured by newly built structures. Others sadly are under threat of demolition in favour of creating all new facilities from the ground up.
The trend for upgrading historic hotels is not new. Upgrading and ‘modernising” of historic hotels has occurred for many years. While some have had their character irreversibly altered many have been sympathetically renovated and extended. There are some excellent examples of pubs in Adelaide where the historic elements have been conserved and refurbished and modern additions constructed to link with the original building. Hotels like The Lion in North Adelaide, the Archer and the Britannia have had major extensions and refurbishments whilst retaining the atmosphere and identity of the original hotel. These are places where heritage is celebrated and where historic interiors have been sympathetically reshaped and updated to meet an increasingly discerning clientele.
Upmarket dining, casual bistros, outdoor terraces and comfortable lounge facilities are all standard in hotels today designed to appeal to singles, families, couples and large groups.
Two recent examples of historic hotels which are currently being transformed can be found on busy Magill Road on the city fringe. The Maid and Magpie in St Peters and the Oriental Hotel in Norwood are both undergoing extensive refurbishment, alterations and additions.
The setting of these hotels had altered significantly over the years. The twin effects of increasing traffic, which made access difficult, coupled with the shabby and much altered façades of their nineteenth century buildings made them increasingly unappealing to customers.
The Maid as it is affectionately known is a nineteenth century hotel listed in the State heritage register. It's hard to miss the imposing nineteenth century bluestone and red brick façade of the restored hotel as it sits on an "island" facing North Terrace, ringed by some of Adelaide's busiest roads. It was first licensed in 1848, when a single story hotel building was constructed, thus making it St Peters oldest hotel site. The hotel was rebuilt to its present two story configuration in 1882, to a design by architects English and Soward. Some time prior to 1935 the bluestone and brick façade was rendered, painted white and the cast iron balustrading removed from the balcony.
Unsympathetic alterations and years of neglect produced a faded drab building. . Although the facilities had been extended some years ago, they did not meet modern expectations. Shabiness and poor amenities coupled with the difficulty of access as a result of the aterial roads surrounding the hotel made it an unappealing venue. Thankfully an important part of the upgrade was to restore the appearance of the original hotel and adjacent outbuildings. The elegance of the front façade of this fine building has been recaptured, by the removal of later render, accurate reinstatement of the original balcony detailing (based on early drawings), masonry restoration and the removal of exposed plumbing and electrical services. The layout of the original hotel has been used to advantage to create sophisticated but intimate lounge areas on the first floor. A stunning interior has been created to provide bar and lounge areas on the ground floor with dining and bistro facilities accommodated within the refurbished earlier additions and unashamedly contemporary extensions at the rear of the building. The main entrance to the hotel has been relocated in order to provide direct entry from the carpark to the additions at the rear of the original hotel. Site access has been improved and additional parking facilities created. Outdoor areas have been protected by bluestone walls which complement the heritage building and provide acoustic and visual screening from the heavy traffic just metres away.
Just down the road another transformation of an historic hotel is taking place. The Oriental Hotel stands on a busy intersection amidst a petrol station, automotive shop and other small businesses. Until recently, with its bland white façade and garish signage, it retained little of its early nineteenth century character. These obtrusive elements have been patiently stripped away as the hotel undergoes a major renovation. A single storey addition almost three times the footprint of the original hotel has been constructed at the rear. The new building is undeniably contemporary with a flat roof, glazed façade, expressed structural framework in recycled timber and aluminum cladding. The setback and scale of the new addition together with a well designed connection between the two buildings has allowed the original hotel to retain its distinctive presence on the street corner, whilst refocusing the entry directly from the carpark to the new facilities.
The new building accommodates a bottle shop, dining, gaming and "back of house facilities", while the original hotel has been refurbished to provide a sports bar and lounge bars. Once again the good "bones" of the original hotel have been used to advantage. The original cellar with its bluestone walls has been converted into a unique and sophisticated lounge area, with mood lighting and contemporary furnishings. Upstairs has been fitted out as office facilities. The greatest transformation has occurred to the hotel exterior. The render has been painstakingly stripped away to reveal a stunning bluestone façade while signs and unsightly electrical cabling have been removed from the external walls. The first floor balcony has been recreated using historic photos as reference.
Once an eyesore, the building now stands as landmark in the streetscape. "You can't buy that sort of marketing" says Tony Zappia, formerly of Milne Zappia architects who undertook the design work, acknowledging the presence and elegance of the restored building in this highly visible location.
These two projects effectively demonstrate that intelligent adaptive re-use which combines the conservation of the historic fabric and character of an old pub with, sensitive refurbishment and well designed contemporary additions can make good business sense.
To date community feedback on these hotels has been extremely positive. Crowds are flocking to their locals not just because there's great pub food and an extensive drinks list on offer, but because they offer an ambience and character that is unparalleled. It's impossible to put a value on historic character.
It is hoped that the approach of retaining historic character and combining it with contemporary interiors and sensitive additions extensions continues to be a winnning formula.
