Locals rally to save Old Burleigh Theatre Arcade from demolition

A PETITION to save the iconic Old Burleigh Theatre Arcade has gained momentum with southern locals outraged a piece of Gold Coast history could be lost to developers. The owners of Montezumas restaurant speak out.

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A PETITION to save the iconic Old Burleigh Theatre Arcade has gained momentum with southern locals outraged a piece of Gold Coast history could be lost to developers.

The oceanfront building has sold to Sydney property development company Weiya Holdings for $18.5 million and was originally said to be demolished, much to the dismay of tenants and locals alike.

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the Iconic Old Burleigh Theatre Arcade has been sold, and its fate depends on the success of a last-minute bid by Gold Coast City Council to preserve it. Montezumas owner Teresa Worthington reflects on 41 years of history at the arcade for the restaurant with daughter Carly Worthington (left) and sister Rachelle Kyte (right). Picture Glenn Hampson

However, the fate of the iconic building rests in the hands of Gold Coast City Council with a last-minute bid to preserve the historic facade.
Planning committee chair Cameron Caldwell confirmed the council had sent letters to State Development Minister Cameron Dick and Environment Minister Leanne Enoch for “stop work orders if required” as the building had “heritage value”.

the Iconic Old Burleigh Theatre Arcade has been sold, and its fate depends on the success of a last-minute bid by Gold Coast City Council to preserve it. Montezumas owner Teresa Worthington reflects on 41 years of history at the arcade for the restaurant. Picture Glenn Hampson

Montezumas owner Teresa Worthington who has ran the restaurant for the past 36 years alongside sister Rachelle Kyte and daughter Carly Worthington said the family would do everything they could to stop the demolition.

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Ms Worthington started the online petition in the hope it would “change the developers mind in demolishing something that means so much to so many people”.

Currently the petition has garnered close to 5000 signatures with the numbers growing by the minute.

the Iconic Old Burleigh Theatre Arcade has been sold, and its fate depends on the success of a last-minute bid by Gold Coast City Council to preserve it. Picture Glenn Hampson

“The support we have received is crazy,” she said.

“To know we have so many loyal customers and people of the community supporting us is so surreal.”

“The arcade is so special to my family as they have been running Montezumas through the arcade for 36 years, we still have staff members that work for us who start over 30 years ago,” she said.

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“We had heard some talk about knocking down the building but we didn’t actually believe it until we read it in the Gold Coast Bulletin.”

the Iconic Old Burleigh Theatre Arcade has been sold, and its fate depends on the success of a last-minute bid by Gold Coast City Council to preserve it. Picture Glenn Hampson

Ms Worthington said Montezumas would relocate in the event their plight to save the building was unsuccessful.

“As much as we don’t want to, we are searching now around the Burleigh area,” she said.

“If there are ways for us to be able to fight for the arcade, I’m sure we will do everything we can, our staff and customers will all stand behind us as well.

“If the building gets knocked down, it will be end of an era for a lot of the locals in our community, but as for Montezumas this is definitely not the end, we will still be around.

the Iconic Old Burleigh Theatre Arcade has been sold, and its fate depends on the success of a last-minute bid by Gold Coast City Council to preserve it. Picture Glenn Hampson

“Although it will be very devastating for us and our locals, we will rise from this and always find the positive that will come from losing our place that we all call our second home.”

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Starting life as a movie theatre and dance hall, the De-Luxe was opened by William Fradgley in 1930, and the red-brick building is a Burleigh landmark, with numerous people taking to Facebook sharing memories and calling for it to be saved.

Weiya Holdings intends replacing the 90-year-old Goodwin Terrace brick building with 14-level luxury apartment tower which has a new arcade at its base.