Demolition of shops prior to building Mall. Fletcher’s shop and Andre’s Main Street, Mornington

DATE1970 to 1975

MEDIAImage

COLLECTIONMornington and District Historical Society

REG NO.1413.16

Mr Colin Cooke conceived an idea of a shopping complex in the Mornington in 1972. His partner was Peter Leake and their office was in Beaumaris. To put the property together and obtain enough land and houses nearby for car parking was a mammoth task, but through a local estate agency, options were secured over all properties except one. Three commercial properties were to be utilized, the best known of them being Mornington Motors site, on the Main and Cromwell Street corner. More than one hundred metres of frontage was bought and something like 15 blocks of land for cars behind them. Many of the houses were less than ten years old and these were sold for removal. Less substantial ones were demolished. The owner who stood out and would not move, finally settled for new brick house in the best part of town, with the garden landscaped and all removal costs paid. It was quite a good exchange for an old weather board cottage. The company who bought the idea and the options was the Hothlyn Corporation, a branch of an English company, who negotiated with the Shire Council, and an agreement signed. Barrett Lane had to be alterred so that it emerged into Cromwell Street about 50 metres further west.

1. This image shows two shops. On the left we have Fletcher’s hardware and crockery, gifts and souvenirs. On the right It is the Continental Hair Salon
2. This photgraph is very similar to photo 1
3. This shows a partly demolished shop although the exterior walls are mosly in tact, there is a car to the right of the image
4. This photo shows the proposed Safeway site on the corner of Empire and Main Street. It has a large bill board stating: 78-98 Main Street, 200 frontage, but 135 depth. There is a blue builder’s utility in the centre of the photo, and two women watching the demolition
5. This photo shows Andre’s being demolished. It is a pile of corrugated iron and timber. There are a group of old doors leaning on what’s left of the building
6. This is the back view of the demolition. There is a black car parked in the left foreground
7. This photo is another rear view of the demolition. There is a sign on the left of the picture Austin, MG, Morris, and Wolseley
8. This is the demolition of the red brick building from the rear, at this stage the walls are in tact
9. This shows a frame work of metal, and is the proposed Safeway building
10. This shows the framework shown in photo 9, but has two large billboards stating: Mornington Shopping Mall, Percy & Melbourne Pty Ltd, and “To Let” Jacobs & Lowe
11. This photo shows the building of the Safeway complex. There is a pile of pavers in the centre of the image, and a pile of sand to the right
12. This photo shows the Safeway complex taking shape
13. This image shows the two billboards shown in Photo 10
14. This photo shows the creation of the Mall and Safeway complex. There is a large stack of timber in the centre front
15. This shows a one storey brick building with a sign “A new modern Safeway supermarket”
16. This shows the demolition of Green’s Butchers shop, formerly Adams

Demolition worker, Shops

Barrett Lane, Cromwell Street, Demolition worker, Main Street, Mornington, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council, Shops