Rockingham Hotel: Rockingham Kwinana Chamber of Commerce CEO Tony Solin calls for demolition of pub “eyesore”

The chief executive of the Rockingham Kwinana Chamber of Commerce is calling for demolition of the historic Rockingham Hotel, slamming it as an “eyesore” and a “blight” on the area. The fate of the 125-year-old hotel is up in the air after the hotel’s new owners lodged a development application for the demolition of the hotel and an application for the hotel’s Local Heritage List status to be downgraded with the City of Rockingham. The public comment period for both items ends on November 8. Foreshore Group purchased the property earlier this year and is seeking to demolish all buildings on the site before redeveloping it, including the hotel, nightclub and Bottlemart, as well as limestone walls and trees. Chamber chief executive Tony Solin said the hotel no longer had historic value and should be demolished “as soon as possible”. “It’s the most important block on the commercial side in the heart of Rockingham, it’s the jewel in the crown,” he said. “And at the moment there is very little heritage value in it.” Police are investigating a suspicious fire that started in the upper storey of the derelict building on October 26, which Foreshore Group director Hugh McLernon denied had any links to the company. Mr Solin said the hotel’s current state was attracting anti-social behaviour and affecting nearby businesses. “People are walking in and out of it all the time,” he said. “(Our) office is straight over the road from it, it’s a complete blight on the foreshore. “It affects all the local businesses around here. It affects tourism around the place and there is absolutely no reason to save anything.” Mr Solin said he had seen inside the building and believed though the developers were keen to incorporate any elements that could be saved into a future development, “realistically, there’s nothing there that’s worth anything.” Foreshore Group have proposed a pub and function centre as the first stage of redeveloping the site, with short-stay accommodation, offices, apartments, retail, and food and beverage outlets also on the cards. Mr Solin said their proposal would boost tourism and the local economy. “It’d be the catalyst for everything to change here in this foreshore precinct, everything,” he said. “It’s 11,000sqm, so it’s the heart of the foreshore precinct where you’ve got all of your hospitality venues, your cafes, your restaurants. “This thing — eyesore, vandal, graffiti-filled place — sits right in the middle of it. “It’d be a massive boost for all the other businesses around it because everyone knows, you build something and people will come. “And they will, they’ll come to this area. Whereas at the moment, they’re avoiding it.”