Carlton Hotel, Christchurch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carlton Hotel |
|
|---|---|
The Carlton Hotel under repair after the 2010 earthquake, but with new damage from the February 2011 earthquake.
|
|
| General information | |
| Type | Hotel |
| Location | Merivale |
| Address | 1 Papanui Road |
| Town or city | Christchurch |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 43°31′14″S 172°37′39″E / 43.52060°S 172.62749°E |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | three |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Joseph Maddison |
| Designated: | 26 November 1981 |
| Reference #: | 1841 |
The Carlton Hotel was a famous old pub in Christchurch, New Zealand. It stood at the corner of Papanui Road and Bealey Avenue. This historic building was built in 1906 for a big event called the New Zealand International Exhibition. It was so important that it was listed as a Category II heritage building by Heritage New Zealand. Sadly, the hotel was badly damaged in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake and had to be taken down on April 9, 2011.
Contents
History of the Carlton Hotel
Early Days and Location
Papanui Road was a very important route in Christchurch. It connected to Main North Road, which was the main way for travelers coming from the north. Famous old stagecoaches like Cobb and Co used this road. It was also one of the first places in Christchurch to have tram lines.
The very first hotel on this spot was built in 1865. This was only 15 years after Christchurch was first settled.
Building for the Exhibition
Later, a company called Ward's Brewery decided to build a brand new hotel. They hired a skilled architect named Joseph Maddison. He designed the new Carlton Hotel to be ready for the New Zealand International Exhibition.
This huge exhibition took place in Hagley Park from November 1906 to April 1907. It was a massive event! Nearly two million people visited the exhibition. At that time, New Zealand's whole population was only about one million. Joseph Maddison also designed many of the buildings for the exhibition itself.
Carlton Hotel's "Firsts"
The Carlton Hotel became famous for several "firsts" in New Zealand:
- In 1939–1940, it was the first place in the country to serve beer directly from a tap.
- In 1947, it opened New Zealand's first outdoor beer garden.
- In 1954, it was the first to have a drive-through bottle store. This meant people could buy drinks without leaving their cars.
In September 1999, a Burger King fast food restaurant opened inside the hotel. It took up a large part of the ground floor.
Earthquake Damage and Demolition
The Carlton Hotel was damaged in the 2010 Canterbury earthquake. Even so, it stayed open for a while. However, it was hit much harder by another earthquake on February 22, 2011. During this quake, part of the front of the building, facing Papanui Road, fell down.
Engineers checked the building and found it was too unsafe. They worried it might collapse completely in another strong aftershock. Because of this, the historic Carlton Hotel had to be demolished on April 9, 2011. The owner has since built a new, modern building on the site. Some people felt the new building did not quite fit in with the area's history.
Images for kids
-
The site of the Carlton Hotel after it was demolished.
