Don’t really know what category to put this one in. Perhaps Worst Architecture, because I am sure that when Jackson’s Hotel in Lord Street East Perth, (Formerly The Norwood, ) is demolished, what replaces it will not be an improvement. How about a light brick office complex with some lattice, or perhaps some nice eaveless apartments? The interior design courtesy of street kids is interesting though. I was able to hold the camera up to a smashed window. If they did restore the old place, it might be worth keeping. I think “Worst preservation of old hotel” could be a new category.
The Worst of Perth 
I understand it is heritage listed, which makes it a top candidate for a mysterious fire. Last I heard (which was about 3 years ago) it was going to be gutted, the facade retained, and developed into an apartment complex. Well you wouldn’t want to turn an elegant atmospheric 19th century pub into an elegant atmospheric 21st century pub would you? Not in Perth.
That said, when it was open in its last days it was a weird place. It was always open at 7am and closed by 7pm even on Fridays and Saturdays. They sold $2 spaghetti meals. I gather it was owned by the coffin cheaters, not sure if that’s still the case.
At one stage it also had a shop dummy on the awning, not sure why – I think there was a period of trying to promote it as analternative venue. For some reason I have an analog photo of that which I’ll try to find.
It was a fun place when it was the Norwood….
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Well that never happened.
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Definitely a fun place when known as the Norwood Hotel and the licensee Steve Spanbrook was in charge. I worked there, mostly in the Public Bar, by choice. Very old fashioned bar, concrete floors, suitable for the cliental. Got to know their special needs as soon as they walked in the door. Steve liked the younger girls to work in the lounge bar. East Perth Footballers used to come in during the evenings and as a group seated at one end of the lounge bar, they would drink with Steve. I guess my time there was around a year. I left after being promised a week off, and then it almost falling through, but thanks to Jack Flynn the then bar manager, I took the time owed off. Steve was away, and when he returned he told me to leave. I was ok with this and went to work at the Morley Park Hotel. I am sad to see the outside state of the Norwood, I believe it had a fire and why it is now boarded up. Shame someone cannot see the need for a wine bar in that area for the locals. All the oldies who needed a pub to drink in, have long gone…..with the expansive re development in the East Perth area. Veronica as I was then known.
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It is sadly now totally gone.
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I wonder if there are still some glazed head-height chunder tiles underneath that tasteful blue paint job. Sadly, we’ll never know, no matter what happens. We do love facade jobs, don’t we? Perhaps we could maintain the facade of Charlie Court and erect a pissoir behind him. It could be installed outside the Weld Club for the convenience of stragglers left waiting for their chauffeur.
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Oh come on! If that’s the worst Perth has to offer in that category, it must be quite a pleasant place to see. Where I live they can do MUCH worse than that.
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Really just anticipating what horror willl replace this Nick. Knowing Perth it will be bland and bad. Plenty more in the architecture category to convince you surely?
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At least it has walls. Melbourne pubs are so edgy these days, they have done away with buildings entirely. Section 8 in the city is another example of non-architectural architecture. Shipping containers and wooden pallets. The only difference between it and the footscray docks are the number pastel coloured shirts. What next melbourne??
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What? Melbourne dock-workers wear pastel coloured shirts?
They’d never get away with that on the Fremantle wharves, let me tell you.
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Yep, and lovely boots made from concrete. Very fashionable here.
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Methinks a building that’s awaiting demolition should hardly be making it into the Worst of Perth.
Time to get more creative, LA.
Or perhaps you’re trying too hard to get at least one “worst” per day?
Gotta get my camera out to help LA …
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A little harsh methinks Dingo. Not every post needs to be amusing, there are plenty of serious issues on TWOP up for discussion. Demolishing heritage buildings in Perth is a major reason why it is in the state it is and why this blog even exists. Maybe we have been a little spoilt.
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I think it was a legitimate entry D. It’s part of classic Perth worstness that places like this are allowed to fall into disrepair so something bad and bland can be built. It was actually suggested by a reader some time ago.
I have more than 2 months of material already shot in advance Dingo, so no problem doing one per day for a long time, but I’d love to see some pics from you too.
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Comments acknowledged and Dingo heads for the sin bin.
(is there a category for worst TWOP comment?)
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Have a look later Dingo. Got a nice one coming up today. Hey, comment as you see fit. Having done stand-up for many years, I can handle any heckling. Definitely want you to get your camera out though. The Worst of Perth Camry can only cover so much ground.
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I think EMU Bitter signs deserve a post of their own: Worst sign, worst beer.
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Used to be a time when you took Emu Bitter to a party to ensure no-one stole your piss from the ice filled bath. The worst beer I have ever tasted is Speights from the south island of New Zealand. Speights, “Shame of The South”. Fosters is the worst of OZ.
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No, no, no, no, no: it’s definitely Adelaide’s Southwick. I’d rather imbibe a bag lady’s period any day of the week.
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Correction: Southwark. My preference still stands.
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PPS I absolutely concur re the ripping down of heritage buildings, especially 1890s pubs. The Claisebrook was a case in point, as was the Knutsford. The Fitzgerald was ‘renovated’, perhaps a judgement on the fact that they never cleaned their lines.
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Just drove past where the Swanbourne used to be – and then there’s the Shents.
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I got myself barred from the Fitzgerald.
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That must’ve been a superlative effort. I seem to remember the Fitz being a skinhead haunt at one point…
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The Knutsford had a great social pool community every tuesday night as I recall!! (years ago now)You dont get that kind of thing in a pub anymore (that I know of- maybe I should get out more!)It was a great pub! Every dog has its day!Long live grungy old pubs I say!!
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I loved the norwood – it was a great pub. I still love it now – if only for the memories. I say leave it as it is – its not in the best spot for success as was the newly furbished Brisbane Hotel, so let the street kids have their squat – it beat’s apartments.
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For my ‘bucks night’ we hired a bus and attempted a nostalgic pub crawl through all of the favourite watering holes we frequented back in our university days. Problem was this would have involved visiting one nursing home, at least 3 apartment complexes and motel (dunno if it has a bar). And there was only about a 10 year gap there!
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The Shents used to have a meter visible from the stage, which would cut the power if the band got too loud. The Bamboos’ version of The Ace of Spades is my best memory of the place.
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That meter was on a column at the far end of the room opposite the band – it was like one of those ‘Test Your Strength’ fairground machines where you whack it with a mallet and ring the bell, only with lights that would illuminate as a band gathered pace – the louder they got, the more lights.
It used to cut the power when it all lit up, or it did until an outraged eastern states roadie apparently ‘fixed’ it with a large and well-placed nail – after that the challenge for a band was to keep it in the red at all times, much to the chagrin of the publican.
Cheers
Elroy
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Chris Bailey played a solo show at the Shents in about ’87. At one point a punter at the front of the stage attracted his attention and he leaned forward to hear while the guy spent a long, long time apparently explaining something to him very earnestly. Eventually Bailey straightened up, spent a moment tuning his guitar in a thoughtful manner then said into the microphone, “What an incurable fuckwit”, and continued with his set.
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Has been announced in the West today (19th Feb 2008) that this place will be demolished as it has been allowed to fall into disrepair.
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SNAP!
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I worked at the “Norwood” for a few years in the early 90’s and it was a no- mans land. I met many people from all walks and had my little eyes widened…. it was an educational experience to say the least. I met so many different people and have lots of great memories, I will be sad to see the Norwood in Rubble.
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I worked for Steve Spanbrook in the early 70’s at the Norwood, a decent watering hole for the patrons……. he had a high standard of service. The place was clean if antiquated. We worked hard…..but also had loads of fun with many of the customers.
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I walked past the Norwood / Jacksons this morning & the demolition squad is there. So much for the heritage listing.
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Yeah at around 2.30 today most of it was gone. Very sad.
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Geeese, leave Perth for 10 years or so and the place goes to pot…!
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I filmed a time laspe of this hotel coming down.. If anyone would like to see it, its http://www.myspace.com/goodkidvideo
I was fortunate enough to be able to shoot a music video inside it before it was knock down as well… OH&S was a huge concern!! It had to be knock down….
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Went to the Jackson Hotel 3 times and have may images of the inside, before it was pulled down. Met a homeless man living there,”Brad”. I love old places like that. Shame they didn’t restore it. It was very scary in there at dusk.
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Norwood Shoe Repairs on the opposite corner (Windsor st) was there this morning and this afternoon it’s gone.
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As a kid in the sixties the Norwood was a great place. It served the best lemon punch aftr the Buffaloe Club in Mt Lawley. It was a great pub, better than the Queens Hotel in Beaufort st which had an old man sitting on the back steps givin aay chips and lollies to the local kids. How times have changed
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What a shame to see the “Norwood Hotel” such a brilliant color of ugh……and a new name Jacksons? I worked at the Norwood Hotel for Steve Spanbrook back in the late 60’s as I recall. I worked mostly in the public bar, enjoying the atmosphere and regular patrons. Steve expected a good attitude from all workers, occasionally I worked in the salon bar and or the little bar beside the dance floor.
Steve’s family lived upstairs, his wife was also involved in running the hotel. We used to get some of the East Perth Football players come in and sit at one end of the bar quietly drinking with Steve. He was never without a group of friends in the evenings, with first class service expected. The bar manager at that time was a Jack Flynn who I believe married the food waitress. I can recall the other workers, but no names now.
I was sad to see that Steve died relatively young, he had managed the Highway Hotel in Bunbury prior to the Norwood, there he met Cookie ? Cook a Bunbury resident who came up to help out in the bar at special times.
It is sad to see the old hotel in such a state of disrepair, and it was sad to see it boarded up after the fire that closed or ensured the closing of the Norwood. I would love to see it revitalized as a local tavern for the local residents. Not a pub for hooligans to gather in. We did not have a lot of problems during my time there. I would hate to see it demolished, but like many other old pubs, it seems developers want to demolish and create some ugly fancy of their own. I went from the Norwood to the Morley Hotel, then the Civic Hotel, working for well known Perth footballer, Dickie Walker who then moved to the Royal Hotel, Wellington Street Perth, I was one of the workers who went with him. I can tell a million stories from working in the Perth Hotels.
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Oh it’s long gone now. Since this post it has been demolished, and I think some piece of crap already built there.
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Oh thanks, I thought it was a heritage site though could not think why, is there at all a decent photo of the Old Norwood? I have scanned several pages seeking a photo…..to add to the book I am authoring. It seems most of the old suburban hotels have “gone”.
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I’d ask on the lost Perth facebook group.
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http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/159322677?q=Norwood+hotel&c=book&versionId=173669276
Might be worth a try.
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The Norwood Hotel heritage listed? Maaaaaate it’s not Langley Park.
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heh. I think there’s a piece of crap already on the site right? Haven’t been that way for a while.
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apartments well and truly on the way.
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I can’t find Lost Perth. Is there even a suburb of that name?
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Atlantis?
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Miss the Jakson and tbe mangerment , wounder how i could get bold of them
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Lost Perth is a lived experience, a state of mind. Google Maps can’t help you there. Seek out a guru. Try listening to 6PR or Nana Hutchison for a start.
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Try Cloudstreet.
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Have you looked down the back of the couch ?
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Not even Swan Taxis can help. I said take me to 1926 Lost Perth please, that’s one nine two six, you know the place, I said, where John Day forever leans against his T Model Ford parked outside the Darlington post office and milk bar, while bullock teams with square cut jarrah bound for the railways of India kick up a dust cloud, forcing him to clean his monocle with his cravat – or is that a ladies petticoat …
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Beautiful…
*dabs tear from eye*
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