Carlton Inn

The Carlton Inn's history began when a {{convert|0.25|acre|adj=on}} crown allotment at the corner of Leicester and Pelham Streets was sold to R. Hepburn in 1853, who subsequently subdivided the land into numerous small allotments with the corner lot measuring {{convert|70|x|70|ft}}.Vale Collection State Library Victoria, Vol 3 p.37. Subdivision of allotments no 8, 9, &20, Section 30 and Allotments 10 & 11 section 25 North Melbourne at Carlton, no date Construction of the hotel was underway by early February 1856, as evidenced by an advertisement for bricks.{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4830658|title=Advertising|date=13 February 1856|newspaper=The Argus|access-date=21 September 2017|issue=2695|location=Victoria, Australia|page=1|via=National Library of Australia}} The completed Carlton Inn was licensed in 1856 to George Edmonds.{{Cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article154863368|title=Granting of postponed Applications for Publicans' Licenses.|date=1856-05-07|work=Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954)|access-date=2019-10-20|pages=2}} Soon after it was transferred to John Cozens.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5693144 "LICENCING BENCH." The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) 7 December 1859: 3. Web. 19 Oct 2016] The Noble family were proprietors for about a century from 1863, when a Mrs Noble was listed as owner in the rate books, through to William K. Noble of Mirboo who was owner in 1923 to 1936, and then the estate of W. K. Noble in 1954.

A robbery occurred at the pub on the 27 August 1887 in the late evening, in which the burglar gained access to the bedroom of the licensee, Duncan McMillan, and stole £100 worth of items, including a watch, a gold pin with diamonds and bluestone, other jewellery and a Webley Revolver, before escaping through a window.{{cite news |title=DARING HOTEL ROBBERY. |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/190636728 |access-date=22 February 2025 |work=The Age |date=29 August 1887 |pages=6}}{{cite news |title=ANOTHER BURGLARY AT A HOTEL. |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/7867493 |access-date=22 February 2025 |work=The Argus |date=29 August 1887 |pages=6}}{{cite news |title=ARREST FOR A HOTEL ROBBERY. |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/7866893 |access-date=22 February 2025 |work=The Argus |date=5 October 1887 |pages=8}} On 4 October, John Charles Vernon was arrested in connection with the robbery, and it was found that in his possession was a pawn ticket for a pin matching the description of that stolen from the hotel and which was later identified as belonging to McMillan. Before his arrest in connection with the Carlton Inn robbery, Vernon had been acquitted of a charge of stealing a cash box from the Niagara Hotel in Lonsdale Street.

In 1933, architects Thomas Watts & Sons designed a new rear addition valued at £500 including new kitchen, and alterations to the front bar. The works were carried out by builder G. G. Edwards of North Brighton. In 1936, a new two-storey section was built on the eastern boundary costing £700. Additional bedrooms and relocation of the kitchen (which had previously been a billiard room), were undertaken by Harry J. Johnston with designs by architect J. A. Trencher of Caulfield. In 1954, architect Harry J. Little designed further alterations, including single-storey sections for laundry, toilets, garage and fuel store, replacing former outbuildings. Building was undertaken by R. J. Johnstone of Mitcham.{{Cite web |url=http://dsewebapps.dse.vic.gov.au/Shared/ats.nsf/(attachmentopen)/DDC72E4B9A842C1CCA257EDE0005B7BB/$File/Melbourne+C198+Incorp+Doc+-+City+North+Heritage+Review+2013+Statements+Significance+revised+June+2015+Approval+Gazetted.pdf?OpenElement |title=C197 C198 City North Heritage Review 2012 RBA Architects 5 Feb 2013 pp.41-43, City of Melbourne |access-date=19 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019154343/http://dsewebapps.dse.vic.gov.au/Shared/ats.nsf/(attachmentopen)/DDC72E4B9A842C1CCA257EDE0005B7BB/$File/Melbourne+C198+Incorp+Doc+-+City+North+Heritage+Review+2013+Statements+Significance+revised+June+2015+Approval+Gazetted.pdf?OpenElement |archive-date=19 October 2016 |url-status=dead }}

In its last years, the hotel was known as the Corkman Irish Pub, with a large student clientele,{{Cite web |url=http://www.thatsmelbourne.com.au/DiningandNightlife/BarsandPubs/AllPubs/Pages/2699.aspx |title=City of Melbourne 'What's On' |access-date=19 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160326114409/http://www.thatsmelbourne.com.au/DiningandNightlife/BarsandPubs/AllPubs/Pages/2699.aspx |archive-date=26 March 2016 |url-status=dead }} and traditional Irish music sessions.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thecorkman.com.au/|title=The Cork Man - Save money in your business|website=The Cork Man|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-20}}

A nearby building proposal was objected in 2016 by the Carlton Residents Association due to the impact it would have had to the adjacent heritage places, including the Carlton Inn.[https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20160524152600/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/107944/20160525-0126/carltonresidents.org.au/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/CRA-Objection-4-12-Leicester-Place.pdf Carlton Residents Association OBJECTION TO GRANT OF PLANNING PERMIT Planning and Environment Act 1987]{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

The Carlton Inn was a two-storey brick-and-bluestone hotel with rendered façades in a simple Georgian style. It had a brown tiled dado on the Pelham and Leicester Street façades, and a balustered parapet with urns.

The site is included in the City of Melbourne Heritage Overlay (HO85), where it is described as:

{{quote|historically significant as one of the earliest extant buildings in this part of Carlton, which has undergone substantial change since the time of its initial phase of construction in 1857. The Carlton Inn is of aesthetic significance as a good example of the Victorian period. The façade is relatively plain and generally indicative of the early to mid-Victorian period, though the parapet may date to the later Victorian period. The façade has a stucco finish but the original corner section may be partly stone.{{Cite web |url=http://dsewebapps.dse.vic.gov.au/Shared/ats.nsf/(attachmentopen)/F204446EA858F8C5CA257BF20008DA28/$File/Melbourne+C198+Incorporated+document+-+City+North+Heritage+Review+Statements+of+Significance+2012.pdf |title=MELBOURNE PLANNING SCHEME, Incorporated Document City North Heritage Review 2012 Statements of Significance p.27 |access-date=19 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019160502/http://dsewebapps.dse.vic.gov.au/Shared/ats.nsf/(attachmentopen)/F204446EA858F8C5CA257BF20008DA28/$File/Melbourne+C198+Incorporated+document+-+City+North+Heritage+Review+Statements+of+Significance+2012.pdf |archive-date=19 October 2016 |url-status=dead }}}}

In August 2016, the hotel was purchased for $4.76 million ($1.76 million above reserve){{Cite web|url=http://theshout.com.au/2014/11/03/article/Carlton-pub-sale-smashes-reserve/GTCMDPCORB.html|title=Carlton pub sale smashes reserve|last=O'Keefe|first=Triana|date=13 November 2014|website=The Shout|language=en-AU|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150310074144/http://theshout.com.au/2014/11/03/article/Carlton-pub-sale-smashes-reserve/GTCMDPCORB.html|archive-date=10 March 2015|access-date=2019-10-20}} by a company known as '160 Leicester Pty Ltd', owned by Stefce Kutlesovski and Raman Shaqiri. A fire was deliberately lit inside the hotel on 8 October,{{Cite web |last=Topsfield |first=Jewel |date=2019-08-19 |title=Developer who razed Corkman pub skips his court appeal to wed in Spain |url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/developer-who-razed-corkman-pub-skips-his-court-appeal-to-wed-in-spain-20190819-p52inq.html |access-date=2019-12-08 |website=The Age |language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/pub-in-carlton-set-alight-in-suspicious-fire/news-story/152b6e781a40b48c49689e8ed6477232|title=Pub set alight in suspicious blaze|last=Allaoui|first=Therese|date=2016-10-07|website=Heraldsun|language=en|access-date=2019-10-20}} and on Saturday morning 15 October, demolition was commenced by Shaq Demolitions and Excavations. A Melbourne City Council official attended the site and spoke to Kutlesovski, who was on site overseeing the demolition, and told him to cease the demolition. Kutlesovski refused, responding "It's my site, I can do whatever I want." {{Cite web |last=Lucas |first=Clay |date=2019-02-20 |title=Cowboy developers who razed historic Corkman pub fined $1.325 million |url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/cowboy-developers-who-razed-historic-corkman-pub-fined-1-325-million-20190220-p50yzk.html |access-date=2023-10-11 |website=The Age |language=en}} A stop order was then issued by the City of Melbourne officer on Saturday, but the demolition contractors returned on Sunday, ignored it and completed the demolition.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/call-for-hefty-fines-after-illegal-wreckers-flatten-159yearold-carlton-pub-20161017-gs4a5o.html|title=Call for 'hefty fines' after illegal wreckers flatten 159-year-old Carlton pub|last=Lucas|first=Clay|date=2016-10-17|website=The Age|language=en|access-date=2019-10-20}}

The demolition of the Carlton Inn received extensive media coverage in state and national media, with both the Victorian Planning Minister Richard Wynne and Lord Mayor of Melbourne Robert Doyle conducting media interviews on the site. Councillor Doyle referred to the illegal demolition as "the most brazen and wanton act of vandalism" he had seen in his political career.{{Cite news |date=2016-10-18 |title='Cowboy' developers face $1m in penalties over pub destruction |url=http://www.afr.com/real-estate/commercial/hotels-and-leisure/cowboy-developers-face-1m-in-penalties-over-pub-destruction-20161018-gs4pw3 |access-date=2016-10-19 |newspaper=Financial Review |language=en-US}}

In response to the incident, several calls were made for increasing penalties for illegal demolition.[https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/oct/18/victoria-plans-harsher-penalties-for-cowboy-developers-after-historic-pub-demolished 'Victoria plans harsher penalties for 'cowboy developers' after historic pub demolished'] by Calla Wahlquist, The Guardian online Tuesday 18 October 2016 An investigation by the Victorian Environment Protection Authority confirmed the presence of asbestos on the site.{{Cite web |title=EPA making enquiries into Corkman pub demolition |url=http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/about-us/news-centre/news-and-updates/news/2016/october/18/epa-making-enquiries-into-corkman-pub-demolition |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161019151702/http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/about-us/news-centre/news-and-updates/news/2016/october/18/epa-making-enquiries-into-corkman-pub-demolition |archive-date=19 October 2016 |access-date=2016-10-19 |website=www.epa.vic.gov.au}}

Victorian Planning Minister Richard Wynne initially sought to have the pair rebuild the building through court action in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.{{Cite web |last=Lucas |first=Clay |date=2018-10-24 |title=Corkman pair appeal $600,000 fine after guilty plea |url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/corkman-pair-appeal-600-000-fine-after-guilty-plea-20181024-p50bl0.html |access-date=2023-10-11 |website=The Age |language=en}} Wynne eventually scrapped initial plans to try and compel Shaqiri and Kutlesovsky to have the pub rebuilt, instead allowing them to build a 12-storey tower on the site, for which he received harsh criticism in the media. It was estimated that the developers would receive huge financial benefits.{{cite web |last1=Rundle |first1=Guy |date=22 December 2020 |title=After animal acts and Labor cowardice, the Corkman pub destroyers finally face jail |url=https://www.crikey.com.au/2020/12/22/corkman-pub-jail-time-labor/?fbclid=IwAR3hVy67idL4BXph8MglLjQETPyxUBXvna4zyJyBm0inopD4MZXnQuLRlYY |access-date=26 December 2020 |website=Crikey}} The deal allowed the pair to not have to rebuild the pub at all on the condition that the new tower development is completed before 2022. A further condition was that the site must be landscaped as a temporary public park by November 2019.

Critics of the developers, including parties to the case, were disappointed with the deal, saying that the deal Wynne reached with them was no disincentive for rogue developers.{{Cite web |last=Lucas |first=Clay |date=2019-05-29 |title=Corkman cowboys cut deal with minister and city council on pub site |url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/corkman-cowboys-cut-deal-with-minister-and-city-council-on-pub-site-20190529-p51sgx.html |access-date=2019-10-20 |website=The Age |language=en}} Crikey's Guy Rundle lamented that the pair were likely to make "millions" from the deal they had struck to build a 12-story tower on the site.{{cite web |last1=Rundle |first1=Guy |date=22 December 2020 |title=After animal acts and Labor cowardice, the Corkman pub destroyers finally face jail |url=https://www.crikey.com.au/2020/12/22/corkman-pub-jail-time-labor/?fbclid=IwAR3hVy67idL4BXph8MglLjQETPyxUBXvna4zyJyBm0inopD4MZXnQuLRlYY |access-date=26 December 2020 |website=Crikey}}

Following Wynne and the council's decision to allow the developers to develop the site and build a 12-story tower, the state opposition and planning groups demanded that the Government compulsorily acquire the site, which was within their legal power to do so under section 172 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987. It was argued this was the main method of setting a precedent and sending a message to further rogue developers.[https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/push-for-state-to-forcibly-acquire-corkman-site-from-cowboy-developers-20190531-p51tc0.html "Push For State to Forcibly Acquire Corkman site from Cowboy Developers"], Clay Lucas, The Age, 1 June 2019

A wooden scale replica of the Carlton Inn's facade was included as part of a public artwork by Sean Lynch. It is located in University Square across from the hotel site since 2021.

Following the demolition, Kutlesovski and Shaqiri removed asbestos from the site and dumped it on another location, near a school and residential buildings, endangering the people in the vicinity. The pair were fined over $600,000 for breaches of the Environment Protection Act for illegal dumping of asbestos contaminated material following a successful prosecution by the Environment Protection Authority. The magistrate said in court he would have jailed them, but the law only allowed for fines. Raman Shaqiri was admonished in the court for smirking and trying to out-stare the magistrate.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/corkman-developers-blasted-in-court-fined-more-than-500-000-20180912-p503ae.html|title=Corkman developers blasted in court, fined more than $500,000|last=Lucas|first=Clay|date=2018-09-12|website=The Age|language=en|access-date=2019-12-08}}

The pair appeared again in court in 2019, and this time were fined a further $1.32 million for the demolition following a successful prosecution by the Victoria Building Authority. The fine was large so as to dissuade other developers from similar practices. The barrister representing the Government noted a lack of contrition by the pair, who had initially agreed to rebuild the pub, but then not only refused to, but made a legal challenge to the rebuild order, indicating they had no interest in doing it.{{Cite web |last=Lucas |first=Clay |date=2019-02-20 |title=Cowboy developers who razed historic Corkman pub fined $1.325 million |url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/cowboy-developers-who-razed-historic-corkman-pub-fined-1-325-million-20190220-p50yzk.html |access-date=2024-03-01 |website=The Age |language=en}}

In September 2019, the pair appealed the fines in Sunshine Magistrates court, which saw the presiding magistrate, Judge Wraight, reduce their fines from just under $2 million to $1.1 million. The defendants allegedly showed no remorse, and one of the defendants chose not to not show up at court.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/fines-cut-in-half-for-developers-who-demolished-corkman-pub-20190906-p52omx.html|title=Fines cut in half for developers who demolished Corkman pub|last=Lucas|first=Clay|date=2019-09-06|website=The Age|language=en|access-date=2019-12-08}}

The developers did not build the temporary public park and as a result contempt of court proceedings were instigated in July 2020.{{Cite news |last=Tran |first=Danny |date=2021-09-09 |title=Corkman Pub demolition developers lose appeal against jail sentence, $400k fine |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-09/corkman-pub-demolition-developers-melbourne-court-appeal/100446106 |access-date=2023-11-06 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}} Shaqiri and Kutlesovski were convicted in November 2020,[https://theurbandeveloper.com/articles/corkman-irish-pub-carlton-shaqiri-kutlesovski-vcat Ted Tablet, 'Cowboy' Developers Found in Contempt of Court, The Urban Developer14 Nov. 2020] and were sentenced on 15 December 2020 to jail and fined $150,000 with $250,000 legal costs awarded against them.{{Cite web |date=2020-12-16 |title='They have trashed Victoria's heritage': Jail for developers who knocked down Melbourne pub |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-16/men-behind-demolition-of-corkman-pub-jailed/12990148 |access-date=2020-12-16 |website=www.abc.net.au |language=en-AU}} The pair then completed the park, only after being sentenced to jail, as a last attempt to evade a jail sentence. The judge in the case remarked that they had to be "dragged every step of the way to compliance".{{Cite web |last1=Mills |first1=Tammy |last2=Lucas |first2=Clay |date=2021-09-01 |title=Corkman pub demolition developers appeal against jail term |url=https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/corkman-pub-demolition-developers-appeal-against-jail-term-20210901-p58ntr.html |access-date=2021-09-01 |website=The Age |language=en}} Kutlesovski and Shaqiri failed in appealing their sentence and each spent 28 days in jail.{{Cite news |date=2021-09-09 |title=Developers who demolished Melbourne's Corkman Hotel apologise but lose bid to overturn jail time |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/sep/09/developers-who-demolished-melbournes-corkman-hotel-apologise-but-lose-bid-to-overturn-jail-time |access-date=2024-03-01 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

A planning application for a modern three-storey pub, designed by Six Degrees, with two basement levels was lodged for the site in late 2022.{{Cite news |last=Wikramanayake |first=Marisa |date=2022-11-02 |title=Plans Filed for Site of Illegally Demolished Melbourne Pub |url=https://www.theurbandeveloper.com/articles/corkmans-pub-carlton-kutlesovski-shaqiri-new-hotel-plans |access-date=2024-03-01 |website=The Urban Developer |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Ore |first=Adeshola |date=2023-10-21 |title=Hotel, soup kitchen or rebuild: could Melbourne's illegally demolished Corkman pub rise again? |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/oct/22/hotel-soup-kitchen-or-rebuild-could-melbournes-illegally-demolished-corkman-pub-rise-again |access-date=2023-11-06 |issn=0261-3077}} After the development failed to get approval from the minister for planning, Shaqiri and Kutlesovski took the minister and Melbourne City Council to the planning tribunal.{{Cite web |last=Lucas |first=Clay |date=2023-11-05 |title=Corkman Hotel replica to rise from the ruins after rogue owners back down |url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/corkman-hotel-replica-to-rise-from-the-ruins-after-rogue-owners-back-down-20231101-p5egro.html |access-date=2023-11-06 |website=The Age |language=en}}

After negotiations with the minister and council failed, Shaqiri and Kutlesovski agreed to rebuild a replica of the demolished pub. A spokesman for the pair said the new building will not be used as a pub and the owners have had discussions with The Salvation Army about using it for a food bank or community centre. Construction of the new building began in June 2024.{{Cite news |last=Rolfe |first=Peter |date=2024-06-23 |title=Destroyed Corkman Hotel likely to be replaced with soup kitchen |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/destroyed-corkman-hotel-likely-to-be-replaced-with-soup-kitchen/news-story/48926db51a8d8657fd8f8c9ff6e510be |url-access=subscription |access-date=2024-06-24 |work=Herald Sun}}

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• Image - [http://handle.slv.vic.gov.au/10381/4279956 Fowler, Lyle & Commercial Photographic Co (photographers.) (1957). Carlton Inn Hotel, cnr. Pelham & Leicester sts., Carlton] (in copyright)

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