General Gordon Hotel at Sydenham to reopen
The owners of an inner west hotel destroyed by fire have outlined their plans to rebuild and make it a favourite for its food.
The owners of an inner west hotel destroyed by fire have outlined their plans to rebuild and make it a favourite for its food.
The owners of the General Gordon Hotel at Sydenham have lodged development plans with the Inner West Council to resurrect the pub and improve it.
The venue burned down in July last year.
A director of investment firm White & Partners, George Ajaka, said the owners had planned renovations before the fire struck.
“It was a gaming and sports bar,” he said.
“But we’re transforming it into what it deserves to be: A family-friendly bistro.”
A new kitchen was a big part of the rebuild, according to Mr Ajaka, which would appeal more to people in the area.
The owners want to reconstruct the building to its original state.
The General Gordon traded for more than 80 years, and the works will include restoring the heritage facade and awning.
The fire mainly damaged the roof and first floor, and a large part of the walls remain.
Inside, there would be minor changes.
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The owners have been required to install a lift for accessibility.
The main stairs would be repositioned to accommodate this.
Mr Ajaka was keen to see the hotel re-open soon.
“I’d love to say it’d be open by December. That’s our intention, but we could be delayed into early next year,” he said.
“We definitely want the rebuild to move along as quickly as we can. It’s costing me money how it is.”
There were no suspicious circumstances involved in the fire.
Mr Ajaka declined to say the cause but said it was an unfortunate event.
White & Partners bought the property for $18.1 million in 2017.
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