Cremorne Arcade
By 1896, when she opened Cremorne Theatre, Annie Oliver was already running the adjacent Cremorne Picture Gardens and Cremorne Hotel. In 1896, architect George R. Johnson designed a group of shops and offices on Howick Street (later called Hay Street). These were for Mrs Oliver, on the same land as the theatre, for which Johnson had planned earlier for her. The place was substantially changed in 1929 to create an open-air arcade.
In December 1975, Cremorne Arcade made headlines when a murder happened there. Two victims were attacked in an office near the top of the stairs: Mrs Margaret Worthington, aged 41 of Bedford Park, was knifed to death, and Mr Aldo Pace, aged 47 of Lesmurdie, was critically wounded. Pace had a lecture room in the Arcade complex, where he gave lessons in Italian language and culture.
As suburban Perth expanded, with more local shopping areas, central Perth declined as a retail area. From the late 1970s, the City of Perth tried many unsuccessful responses to this, but the only change with any impact on the ongoing decline was moving late night shopping from Thursday to Friday in 1989.
Today the front of Cremorne Arcade continues to be use for retail purposes and above the ground floor, much of the original building can still be seen.
By 1896, when she opened Cremorne Theatre, Annie Oliver was already running the adjacent Cremorne Picture Gardens and Cremorne Hotel. In 1896, architect George R. Johnson designed a group of shops and offices on Howick Street (later called Hay Street). These were for Mrs Oliver, on the same land as the theatre, for which Johnson had planned earlier for her.
The new Cremorne Building (later called Cremorne Arcade) was a two-storey brick, stucco, and iron building in the Federation Free Classical style. By 1929, the owner was F. W. Stern, and he engaged architects Oldham, Boas and Ednie-Brown to draw up plans for major redevelopment. New 30cm deep showcases were added to both sides of the access way, and the redeveloped complex created an open-air arcade.
Approval was granted in 1962 for A & K Alfirevich to convert the shop 578 Hay Street into Arcadia Café, when entrances and windows to the arcade were closed in. To accommodate a TAB, in 1965 Oldham, Boas, Ednie-Brown and Partners drew up plans to change the rear of the shops facing Hay Street.
In December 1975, Cremorne Arcade made headlines when a murder happened there. Two victims were attacked in an office near the top of the stairs: Mrs Margaret Worthington, aged 41 of Bedford Park, was knifed to death, and Mr Aldo Pace, aged 47 of Lesmurdie, was critically wounded. Pace had a lecture room in the Arcade complex, where he gave lessons in Italian language and culture.
As suburban Perth expanded, with more local shopping areas, central Perth declined as a retail area. From the late 1970s, the City of Perth tried many unsuccessful responses to this, but the only change with any impact on the ongoing decline was moving late night shopping from Thursday to Friday in 1989.
In August 1986, Cremorne Arcade was transferred to fast-food retailers, McDonalds. McDonalds opened their first store in Australia in Sydney in 1971, and had been operating in Western Australia from the early 1980s. The lightwells were bricked up and the basement converted to a dining area. Ground floor shop fronts were cut in from the original front elevation, creating an overhang, and new wide columns were constructed to support the first-floor façade. The floor-space of the McDonalds restaurant was increased in area so the entire block was filled.
Pizza Hut operated a restaurant from the first floor for approximately ten years through the 1990s. After Pizza Hut vacated the premises, McDonalds was unable to lease the upstairs area and it remained unused.
Today the front of Cremorne Arcade continues to be use for retail purposes and above the ground floor, much of the original building can still be seen.
West Australian 18 August 1896
West Australian 28 November 1898
West Australian 6 July 1929