Carlton Hotel

Originally called the Star and Garter, the original Carlton hotel was erected on Goderich Street in 1887 and was one of the first hotels in East Perth. One of its chief attractions was the view of the Swan River from rooms on the upper floor. In 1911, the ‘Star and Garter’ changed its name to the ‘Royal Mint Hotel’, which in turn changed its name to the Carlton Hotel in 1918. Over the decades, the Hotel became run-down and work was increasingly needed on the place.

Forty years after it opened, the publican of the Carlton Hotel, Francis Desmond Gee, decided he needed more bedrooms as he was continually turning people away. Expanding the existing hotel was difficult and the architect, Joseph Herbert Eales of Eales & Cohen, recommended buying a new site on Hay Street to build there.

There were, of course objections, not least from the owner of the Grosvenor Hotel who saw no need for a competitor to be quite so close to his business. A local man, Percy Herbert Bailey, raised a petition to object to the relocation of the Carlton Hotel because it would attract many ‘undesirable characters’ to the area. Nonetheless, the license was granted and construction of the new Carlton Hotel began in 1927.

The new two-storey rendered brick and tile hotel was designed in a horseshoe shape and was completed in January 1928. The ground floor comprised a reception room, public bar, saloon bar, dining room, kitchen, interior and exterior toilets, staff quarters, four bedrooms, and an outside laundry. The first floor contained numerous bedrooms and a male and female bathroom. It is believed that Carlton Hotel was the first hotel constructed in Perth to have garages, instead of stables, located at the rear of the premises. This feature provided an attraction for the increasing number of vehicle owners and recognised that dampness in magnetos was a problem for vehicles at the time.

During 1937, under William Power’s management, extensive alterations were carried out at a cost of £1,745. The architects were Ochiltree and Hargrave and the builder was J. T. Goodlet. The alterations included converting the rear showers and storeroom into ladies toilets and a spirits store. The reception room was converted into a new lounge and bar, and the original men’s and women’s toilets at the centre of the hotel were removed and converted into a new saloon bar. The old saloon bar was converted into a public bar, and a new hallway and entrance lobby was created.

In 1956, further renovations to the upstairs bathrooms were designed by architect Howard Bonner. Five years later, Bonner designed further alterations to the hotel. The three clothes hoists in the courtyard were removed and the area was roofed following the line of the existing verandahs and converted into a beer garden.

In 1963 the beer garden was converted into a lounge area, and two years later further extensive alterations were undertaken on the ground floor. The dining room was converted into a snack bar restaurant, the existing office into a cocktail bar and the front lounge hall was divided into two, and converted into a cocktail lounge, new front entrance, and a front office.

In 1967, alterations were carried out to the public bar and the existing entrance lobby was converted into a bottle shop. Two years later, further renovations were carried out with the conversion of the snack bar into a dining room, which was extended into the original kitchen. The rear hall, store, two bedrooms, and bathroom were converted into a new larger kitchen, cool room, and pantry. In 1986, an enclosed pergola was added to the back of Carlton Hotel.

Today the Carlton Hotel continues to trade and remains a popular place for local workers to find a refreshing beer.

Daily News 4 June 1887
Daily News 8 August 1927
Daily News 2 February 1928