THE iconic Mentone Hotel has been saved from redevelopment. The main building has been officially listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.
The heritage listing is a win for Kingston residents who rallied to “save The Edgy” after its sale by owners Open Door Pub Co late last year (‘Pub loss makes regulars edgy’, The News 12/11/14).
Thousands took to social media using the #savetheedgy hashtag with the Facebook group Save The Edgy a focal point for locals to put pressure on the state government to act to push to heritage list the Mentone Hotel, which first opened in 1890.
An online petition at change.org posted by Make Better Bayside Group’s Clarke Martin opposing any development of the hotel attracted more than 6,500 supporters.
Planning Minister Richard Wynne said the Heritage Council of Victoria took the hotel’s historical significance and architectural contribution to Mentone into account when deciding to add The Edgy to the state’s list of historically protected places.
“The Edgy now has the highest heritage protection in Victoria, any future changes would need a permit from Heritage Victoria,” Mr Wynne said.
“It is important that our significant heritage buildings are recognised and protected, The Edgy joins almost 2300 place and objects on the Victorian Heritage Register.”
The heritage listing covers the hotel building and not the adjoining car park area.
Mt Waverly based Momentum Developments, the buyer of the Mentone Hotel, said the decision will not change its plans for the site.
Company founder Paul Huggins said the hotel was purchased in the knowledge it would be heritage listed.
“We’re excited about it … we had no intention of knocking down the hotel,” he said.
“The actual heritage element adds a bit of mystique and we believe it adds value to the site.”
The developer intends to build apartments on the car park site and apartments with high ceilings on the upper level of the hotel building itself.
“The only thing that is protected is the facade itself which we intend to keep since I fell in love with the building many years ago.”
The staircase is also heritage listed. The bottleshop will be demolished. Mr Huggins plans to have a pub landlord in place to run a public bar in the lower level.
Mr Huggins said about 45 per cent of the hotel’s interior is not original.
Mordialloc Labor MP Tim Richardson welcomed the heritage listing.
“The Mentone Hotel is a landmark in our community, it’s home to the memories and stories of our community who have rallied to make sure its heritage and character are protected.”
Save The Edgy spokesman Chris Hill took to Facebook to welcome the “fantastic news” that the Mentone Hotel building will not be completely demolished to make way for an apartment complex.
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 24 June 2015
