The Burdekin Hotel

Formerly known as Flanagan's the Burdekin hotel is still a well known hotel at the beginning of Oxford Street. The site, at 2-4 Oxford Street Darlinghurst, has historical significance because it has been occupied almost continuously by a hotel since the 1840s.

It is also significant because of its association with the prominent architectural firm of Rudder & Grout. They designed many Art Deco hotels around Sydney and the Burdekin is a good representative example of a Federation hotel with an interwar Art Deco style overlay.

History

The original Flanagan's Hotel was a diminutive single storey structure at the start of Oxford Street near Hyde Park. The hotel (picture opposite) was built in the Victorian era but was demolished around 1910 during the "remodelling" or widening of Oxford Street. Several significant buidlings were also demolished for this project including the Albury Hotel. There were several street widening projects occuring around this time including in Park Street which necessitated the demolition of the Criterion Theatre to make way for the new Criterion Hotel. The project was the brainchild of Allen Taylor (who was Mayor at the time) and he is remembered today for his endeavour with the square that bears his name - Taylor Square.

The old Flanagan's was just three levels, but the new Flanagan's was five levels, including the cellar, and (according to a Sydney Morning Herald article from May 2, 1911) "would be built in a classic design of brick and stone with oriel windows on each side and a tower octagonally built on the corner. The ground floor will be devoted exclusively to bars and parlours and the necessary private offices, and on the first floor there will be dining, drawing and reading rooms, with three bedrooms" the article said. "The second floor will contain a large sitting room, bedroom and kitchen, and there will be suites of bedrooms on the upper floors. There will be a flat roof over the whole area and on it will be constructed two bedrooms, a laundry and out-offices. The bars and internal work generally are to be handsomely finished, with a free use of marble and polished fittings."

The remodelled hotel was designed by architects Rudder & Grout at 6 Martin Place who designed many Art Deco hotels for Tooth & Co in the 1920's and 1930's.

During the 1930's the remodelled four-level pub was later renamed in honour of Thomas Burdekin. He was a Councillor for Cook Ward from 3 October 1843 to 9 February 1844. An ironmonger by profession he became a wealthy and successful merchant and landholder in Sydney. He died in 1844.

The remodelled Public Bar is shown below along with a picture of the Ladies Parlour. At the time women were not usually seen in the Public Bar as it was an all male domain.

In 2022 prominent property developer and fund manager, Greg Shand and his wife Kathy, have emerged as the new owners of the Burdekin Hotel. It was a bargain at $15 million! The hotel has had major alterations over the years including a roof garden to bring it into the 21st century.


Sources:

  • City of Sydney Heritage Listing
  • Historical photographs from the Noel Butlin Archives Centre at the ANU
  • "My Darling Darlinghurst" blog
  • Financial Review Feb 6th 2022 - article by Larry Schesinger
  • Roof Garden photo by Billy Zammit 2022

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