Greyhound Hotel patrons scavenge for bricks, plaster, memorabilia at demolition site

HUNTERS and collectors have travelled from as far as Sydney to snare a piece of the former Greyhound Hotel, descending on the demolition site to scavenge for bricks, plaster and facade remnants.

Greyhound regular Julie Marrington with a brick from the pub’s demolition. Picture: Hamish Blair

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THE former Greyhound Hotel has become St Kilda’s Berlin Wall as hunters and collectors scrambled to snare their own piece of history from the demolition site.

Greyhound regular Julie Marrington with Reg Ridealgh from Love&Dysfunction Bar, with a piece of the demolished pub he’ll display at his bar. Picture: Hamish Blair

Bricks, plaster and remnants of facade were hauled away from the site by former patrons not yet ready to part with the 164-year-old building.

Julie Marrington, who was a regular at the Greyhound during its live music heyday, made four trips to the Brighton Rd site to scavenge for bricks to dole out to a growing list of Greyhound faithfuls.

“It meant so many things to so many different people for all sorts of reasons — for many it was our loungeroom,” she said.

“Everybody was exceptionally sad when it was torn down.

“That’s more than 160 years worth of history just gone.”

The Greyhound’s loss has been felt far and wide, with people coming from Geelong and even Sydney to collect a brick.

Ms Marrington said the loss of venues that “made St Kilda great” has been hard to stomach.

“St Kilda used to be so vibrant and it didn’t matter who you were or what you were into everyone was welcome here,” she said.

“Now, as I look around, I just have to put my forehead in my hands.

“The loss of the London Hotel and the Greyhound has sort of taken the breath out of the place.”

The Greyhound was a much-loved St Kilda institution. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

She said apartments were killing Port Phillip’s culture.

“We’re all peeved it’s turning into Lego land here,” she said.

“How many freaking apartments do we need?”

But she remained hopeful the rebirth of the Espy would bring back the “lively, vibrant and colourful” scene she remembered.

“Maybe everything had to die off completely to properly revive,” she said.

Reg Ridealgh, owner of Love&Dysfunction, will display his piece of the Greyhound at his Grey St bar.

Demolition of the Greyhound began last month after a failed bid by Port Phillip Council to secure heritage protection.

Plans to build an eight-storey apartment building on the site were knocked back by the council but the developer plans to fight the decision at VCAT this month.