Stirling Arms Hotel: New playground and cafe part of $2m revamp of historic destination in Guildford

A new playground and cafe are part of a $2 million expansion planned for the Stirling Arms Hotel in Guildford.

The revamp was approved by the Metro Outer Development Assessment Panel on September 4: 4-1.

The hotel at the corner of James and Meadow streets was built in 1852 and has been added to over the years, including more floorspace, accommodation, a drive-through bottle shop and a front beer garden.

The latest proposal involves turning a former antiques store next door into a cafe and beer garden servery bar, as well as converting an underused 500sqm rear space into a family dining and playground area.

The building’s interior will also be given a refresh, with new bathrooms, the wood flooring restored where possible and some internal paint removed to expose the original red brickwork.

Customers will be directed to use an existing large carpark at the rear. One of the conditions of approval is that its bays be marked out.

The application received 130 submissions in support when it was advertised for public comment. The one objection was against using a sea container as a servery bar in the rear area.

The hotel’s owners said the sea container had been there for more than a decade and was used for storage.

The panel allowed it to be used provided it was covered in suitable cladding.

It also overruled a recommended 400-person occupancy limit, leaving it to the City of Swan to determine.

The hotel owners told the panel the recommended limit was below its current patronage level and would make the development unsustainable.

“Our vision is to transform the venue into a multi-functional community hub, with spaces catering to diverse customer segments — from early morning coffee patrons and families to heritage lovers and local theatre guests, through to general beer garden patrons and private functions,” they said.

Swan councillor Rod Henderson said the number of people going to the hotel would be determined by the availability of parking.

“Most people don’t want to walk more than a few hundred yards,” he said.

“If people have to walk a long way, they simply won’t go to the pub if they can’t get somewhere to park, so it becomes self-regulating.”

Other amendments by the panel included allowing the rear area to be open until 10pm and for signs and bunting to not be visible from the street.

Panel presiding member Karen Hyde said she was very supportive of the project.

“It’s always good to see our buildings of heritage and cultural significance updated and refurbished and provided with a new lease of life,” she said.

The Heritage Council of WA said the project would have a positive impact but the drive-through and solar panels were “intrusive.”

The development application said the hotel owners would work on relocating the solar panels and moving the drive-through could be part of a long-term strategy.

“The removal and redevelopment of that part of the venue will require a multimillion-dollar commitment, of which the owners do not have the capacity to perform at this stage,” it said.

Last year the Guildford Hotel expanded into a building next door after transforming the old Vaudeville Theatre into a dining hall with a large beer garden.