The Imperial Hotel

The Imperial Hotel, located at 35 Erskineville Road in Erskineville was purchased by Tooth and company in February 1931. It was rebuilt to a design by V D Renshaw and completed in November 1940. Renshaw had changed his name from Virgil D Cizzio. He designed the Great Southern Hotel on George Street in the same year. His rebuilding extended the Hotel across the whole of the site and demolished the previous structures.

The Hotel became widely known when it was featured in the successful film "Priscilla Queen of the Desert" (1995) and is well known as a gay cabaret and entertainment venue. The interiors retain some of their Art Deco flavour, particularly to the rear cabaret room and upper stairs. Not much of the interior detail has been altered.

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Sources:

• Sydney Heritage Listings

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