Parramatta: Peter Wynn’s Score could make way for hotel plans, Church St
An iconic Parramatta business and Mecca for rugby league fans could be forced to shut after more than 30 years to make way for a five-star hotel, supermarket, gym and cafe.
Parramatta
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The iconic Peter Wynn’s Score at Parramatta could shut its home of 32 years to make way for a hotel, office and retail complex that will also include losing part of the historic Murray Brothers building.
Fuelling Parramatta’s relentless hotel boom, an international five-star hotel group has approached Holdmark developers to open a 240-room accommodation facility and commercial offices at 89 Marsden St and 197 and 207 Church St.
A supermarket, shops, and gym with a swimming pool would occupy the double-level podium under the 21-storey Church St commercial office tower while the lobby, function areas and restaurant would be housed in the two-level podium below the 28-storey Marsden St hotel block.
Subject to approval, the project would replace Holdmark tenants such as Culture Kings and the landmark Peter Wynn’s Score, which the Eels legend opened in 1988.
Holdmark corporate affairs consultant Maria Scott could not confirm which hotel had approached the company but said it would be a drawcard for Parramatta.
“It is a city that is now going to be popular because of the infrastructure they have put in place,’’ she said.
“Parramatta has limited hotel accommodation and, given a number of government organisations are looking at Parramatta, and you’ve got that fantastic campus for University of Western Sydney and other things going on, a hotel in Parramatta would be beneficial to everyone.’’
Wynn only learned of the recent plans when contacted by the Advertiser but was aware of the company’s now defunct proposal for an 86-storey apartment tower lodged in 2015.
The proposal was rejected in 2016 when the Greater Sydney Commission overturned Parramatta Council’s endorsement of the bold plans for the “Boomerang” tower because of overshadowing issues.
While Wynn, 62, said while he “was not getting any younger”, he would consider relocating the business if the hotel forced the business to vacate.
“I think we would have to accept whatever was approved,’’ he said.
“Retail’s a changing landscape. There’s all these options to look at, 100 per cent.
“Parramatta is in the centre of Sydney and the heartland of new developments.”
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The store has been a Parramatta institution for three decades and before coronavirus struck, a crush of Eels and league supporters stopped by on their way to Bankwest Stadium as a game- day ritual.
“For 33 years Peter Wynn’s has been a destination and let’s hope that destination continues,’’ Wynn said.
“I’ve got to make a few tough decisions in the very near future.’’
Under the plans, the Murray Brothers facade will remain but part of the Macquarie St exterior could be demolished to make way for a basement carpark entrance.
Parramatta Council papers stated: “Whilst the option of providing vehicular access to the site from Macquarie St is not favoured from a heritage impact perspective, the site reference design has incorporated this as required by council.’’
The 1889 building was Parramatta’s first shopping emporium, which sold goods including furniture, homewares, musical instruments and jams.
It was rebuilt in 1926 after a fire and closed for trading in 1978.
Archaeological artefacts are also expected to be uncovered on the site during excavation.
“Previous research by others indicates that the site has historically been a location for important and significant events and buildings and some remnants of those buildings might be located on the site.”
If approved, the hotel would feature links from Church to Marsden streets and from the corner of Church and Macquarie streets to Marsden St.
It would join a growing list of accommodation facilities which have chosen to call Parramatta home, including the five-star Hilton, which is slated to open at Macquarie St in 2023, the $239 million 55-storey QT at Phillip St and the 239-room Holiday Inn Express at Smith St.
Parramatta Council is seeking changes to conditions imposed by the Planning Department before the planning proposal is placed on public exhibition.
