Heritage hotel restored to former glory

The General Gordon Hotel was built in 1932 for the brewery Tooth and Company. It served the community for almost 86 years until July 2018, when a fire destroyed most of the original hotel. The pub was reconstructed and restored in 2020.

This Inter-War Georgian Revival style hotel in Sydenham was built in 1932 by prominent brewers Tooth and Company, to a design by Sidney Warden. In July 2018, approved works for alterations and additions were underway when a fire broke out, which caused the roof's collapse and the interior's destruction. ior. Portions of the building’s façade survived the fire, albeit with substantial damage. Internal walls, floors, roof structure, and all fit-outs and joinery all suffered extensive damage.

NBRS worked with Rohrig and Anthony Vavyis + Associates to carry out the repair and reconstruction works, providing Heritage Impact Statements, a historic colour scheme, salvage methodologies and consultancy services throughout construction. The works involved the dismantling of unsafe structures and the reconstruction of large portions of the building. The façade was propped and protected in situ throughout the works.

NBRS also prepared a Heritage Interpretation Plan for General Gordon, conveying historical information about this important local landmark to the community. This interpretive information illuminated the role of female publicans in the history of the hotel and its importance as a focus of the 1948 ‘black ban’ protests against the monopoly of large breweries such as Tooth and Company on the liquor trade.

Despite extensive fire damage, the front façade of this local landmark was able to be salvaged and repaired and was the focus of the conservation works. These works included the salvage of façade tiles, the installation of matching tiles, repairs and repointing to brickwork, render repairs and the reconstruction of the awning, including its pressed metal soffit.

The project also presented an important opportunity to return the joinery on the ground floor façade of General Gordon to its original design. The damaged 1980s doors and windows were replaced with new joinery with profiles for frames, transoms, mullions and glazing bars documented by NBRS based on historical research and evidence from historical photographs.

Image credit: General Gordon Hotel Exterior, Sydenham By Milton Kent (Source: Museum of Applied Arts & Science Collection 0248979)