Original post 31 March 2018:

#VillageBelleHotel #StKilda, 1891 (replacing the 1855 original), now with its new glass beer garden, and a year before, under construction. Pleased they reinstated the #balustrade #parapet and orbs, but displeased not the foreground arched windows (I hadn’t seen the old photo till now), nor the #OrlandoWines sign they took off in 2016, though the new one is nice enough. Somehow I preferred the yellow and brown scheme, though it was probably originally #cementrender grey.

Update 2026 : the @stkildahistory newsletter April last year includes research that the architect was William Pitt, boy he did a lot of work. I should also add that there were various alterations probably in the 1920s including changing the window, adding a canopy over the side entrance (still there) and an extension to the north, which was replaced by a spacious glassy thing in the 2017 works (which also inserted townhouses along the east side).

3 March 2017:

The Village Belle, Barkly Street, #StKilda, 1891, with #Shiavello crane. Various later additions demolished, and instead of turning it into #apartments with more all round, it’s going to stay a hotel, with a lot more drinking space on two levels, with a large part-glass extension to the left (changed from the all glass design, swipe left), and yes with a string of small apartments behind, but only three levels. Permit says they’ll retain the externals of the building (and even keep operating during construction) and will reinstate the top balustrade and original grey #cementrender colour. Not bad really. @ Village Belle Hotel

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