Skinners Family Hotel, Heritage pub and retail building in Sydney Central Business District, Australia
Skinners Family Hotel is a three-story sandstone building in Sydney's central business area with narrow windows and decorative cast ironwork. The ground level entrance features an Ionic capital, and the structure maintains a typical 19th-century retail facade.
The structure was built in 1846 to designs by architect Henry Robertson and initially operated as Clown Hotel under George Skinner as the first publican. Throughout the 19th century it converted to various retail uses, including becoming a chemist shop from 1873 onward.
The building reflects how commercial needs shifted in Sydney's business district over time. Its transformation from a drinking establishment to retail shops shows how the place adapted to changing economic demands.
The building sits on George Street in the center of Sydney's business district, easily accessible by public transit that runs regularly through this area. Access is straightforward since it occupies street-level retail space now operated by an optical chain.
Advance Bank restored the building to its 1849 appearance in 1989, preserving original fireplaces and pressed metal ceilings on the upper levels. This restoration allowed the craftsmanship of the Victorian era to become visible again.
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