Randwick building with sandstone tower that was once a pub and Pizza Hut goes up for auction
One of Sydney’s eastern suburb’s most recognisable buildings — a historic tower at a prominent intersection — is set to go to auction after 33 years of ownership.
And the very first statue of Captain James Cook, erected in 1874, is right out the front. It was positioned to face south towards Botany Bay, the location of Cook’s landing in 1770.
The building that’s for sale at 141 Belmore Rd was built in 1859 by William Ellis, the Alderman of Randwick, as the Star and Garter Inn.
It was one of the earlier hotels in the region.
The 438 sqm site, which is set to go to auction on December 1 with a guide in the $3.5m range via Colliers agents Matt Pontey and Miron Solomons, is currently vacant but was most recently a restaurant.
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It retains most of its restaurant and bar fit-out.
Over the years, the building, with its distinctive castellated sandstone tower, has housed a school, butcher and even a Pizza Hut.
As Pontey says: “The building’s attributes coupled with its rich local history will undoubtedly bring strong interest in a market which is underpinned by more than $1.5 billion in nearby infrastructure.”
Its position is set to benefit from the nearby Randwick Medical and UNSW’s growth precincts as well as well as the nearby light rail that heads into the city.
Following its time as a pub, the building was acquired by Captain Thomas Watson, a Sydney Harbour pilot who added the tower in the 1970s to give it views of Botany Bay.
Captain Watson renamed the building ‘Cooks Lodge’ and lived there until his death in 1879.
Following the Captains death, the building was bought by Lotaville Girls’ School which
was a day and boarding school established for girls.
In 1897 the building was bought by the Hannan family, who operated a butchery at the property until 1985.
After being refurbished in 1987, it attracted a range of eateries including Pizza Hut in the 1970s; Restaurant Balzac in the 00s, Montpellier Public House and most recently Cookhouse.