Greyhound Hotel
The GH Hotel, the GH | |
 Greyhound Hotel after renovation in 1937-1938 | |
| Location | St Kilda, Victoria |
|---|---|
| Type | Music venue |
| Events | Independent music Drag performance |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1853 |
| Renovated | 1936-1938 |
| Demolished | 2017 |
The Greyhound Hotel was a pub and gay bar in St Kilda, Victoria. It was known for hosting live music and drag performances, described as the "drag capital of Melbourne".[1] Despite community outcry and the council's recommendation otherwise, the pub failed to receive heritage protection and was demolished in 2017 after operating for 164 years. The building was a two-storey corner hotel, with an Art Deco/Moderne facade from its 1936-1938 remodelling.
History
[edit]
The pub opened in 1853, with its name coming from the sport of greyhound racing, which the pub's first licensee, John Board, was a promoter of.[2] The building was renovated extensively in 1936–38, with the construction of second storey, acquisition of neighboring land to expand the hotel, and a new Art Deco/Moderne facade.[3]
The post-war reputation of the hotel was tied to its proximity to St Kilda's most prominent areas for sex workers.[2] In the 1980s, the venue morphed from a "working man's boozer" into an important location for drag and LBGTQ culture.[1]
In July 2016, an application to replace the Greyhound with an eight-storey apartment building was filed to City of Port Phillip council.[4][5] While the director of the venue said demolition was a "back-up plan", the venue closed for good on 5 January 2017, despite its website still listening events as late as 20 January.[6]
The pub could have been demolished at any time, as it did not meet heritage protection for architectural significance, despite its age, because it was remodelled in the 1930s.[1] A public campaign to save the pub involving 2700 signatures caused the council to reevaluate the demolition.[1] A report commissioned by the council found the venue was significant for reflecting the history of Victorian hotels, the "changing fortunes of St Kilda", and the local LGBT community.[7][3] However, Planning Minister Richard Wynne declined to give the pub interim heritage protection despite the council's request.[1]
The pub was demolished in May 2017. After the property developer went insolvent in 2019, construction on the apartments never commenced.[8] As of 2026, the site continues to be vacant.
Reaction and Legacy
[edit]Some fans and former patrons of the Greyhound Hotel went to the site after demolition to collect brick, plaster, and remnants of facade as keepsakes.[9] An August 2022 heritage review from the City of Port Phillip considered sites of importance to the local LGBT community.[10] Editor of the Star Observer, Matthew Wade, said that bars like the Greyhound were vital for the LGBT community, allowing people to explore their sexuality in a welcoming environment.[11]
Crikey columnist Alan Davies said the closure of the venue was inevitable, as the business was commercially unviable with the ongoing gentrification in St Kilda.[12] The demolition has been compared to the loss of other Melbourne pubs, including the London Hotel[1] and the Corkman Irish Pub.[10]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lucas, Clay (2017-05-11). "Wreckers drag down the Greyhound after minister refuses to rescue 164-year-old pub". The Age. Retrieved 2026-08-08.
- 1 2 Aizen, Becky. "Greyhound Hotel". skhs.org.au. Retrieved 2026-08-08.
- 1 2 Context Pty Ltd (March 2017). Greyhound Hotel Cultural Heritage Values Assessment (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 July 2017.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ↑ Johnston, Chris; Dow, Aisha (2016-11-30). "Greyhound Hotel: Fears apartment developments are killing St Kilda's character". The Age. Retrieved 2026-08-08.
- ↑ "Gay bar demolition on owner's radar". Archived from the original on 2018-06-04. Retrieved 2026-08-08.
- ↑ "Closure of 'iconic' gay bar slammed". Archived from the original on 2018-05-16. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
- ↑ Buckley, Nick. "The Greyhound Hotel in St Kilda Faces the Wrecking Ball I Melbourne". www.broadsheet.com.au. Retrieved 2026-08-08.
- ↑ Lindsay, Nicole (2019-10-18). "Greyhound Hotel back on the market after Steller collapse". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
- ↑ Atkinson, Jordy (16 June 2017). "Greyhound Hotel patrons scavenge for bricks, plaster, memorabilia at demolition site". Herald Sun.
- 1 2 Seedy, Kimberley (15 August 2024). "Greyhound Hotel site remains empty seven years after pub was pulled down". Herald Sun.
- ↑ "Mystery surrounds the future of the former GH Hotel site in St Kilda". Domain. 2019-06-15. Archived from the original on 2019-06-16. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
- ↑ Davies, Alan (2016-12-05). "Can anything save Melbourne's Greyhound Hotel?". Crikey. Retrieved 2026-08-09.