1965: The end of Bebarfalds City Store

On August 31 1965, Bebarfalds closed its city store (at the corner of Park and George Streets, directly opposite Sydney Town Hall), which was located in what is now the Woolworths Building, home to Australia's busiest Woolworths Supermarket and a small-format BigW store. The closure was due to losses at its city store and the decision to concentrate on its profitable suburban and regional stores.

Source: Anonymous. 1965. "Bebarfalds Ltd. to close city store on August 31". The Sydney Morning Herald, July 24: 4.  

The reason for its closure was increasing losses at the city store. Suburban stores traded under the Bebarfelds name until 1973, when they became part of Macy's Emporium Pty. Ltd. 

The current tenant (Woolworths) would lease the space shortly following Bebarfalds closure Woolworths would open its Town Hall store the following year. 2026 is sixty years of Woolworths at its present city location. 

Source: Anonymous. 1965. "Mr Theo Kelly at Lovers' Corner". The Sydney Morning Herald, September 3: 11.

1972: Plans for Town Hall House are approved

Below is an article from The Daily Telegraph that was published in October 1972, when Sydney City Council announced that Mainline Constructions had won the tender to construct Town Hall House and St Andrews House.

Town Hall House would become the new home of Sydney City Council in 1977 while St Andrews House would be home to St Andrews Cathedral School and offices for the Anglican Church. Any firm can rent space within the building.

Source: Anon. 1972. "$10m Scheme: Town Hall plan gets go-ahead". The Daily Telegraph, October 25: 11.

NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: Sydney City Council Proposal to turn the Queen Victoria Building into a public square (1959)

Some might remember in the early 1970s when architect Harry Seidler called for the demolition of the Queen Victoria Building in George Street and that a multi-storey carpark replace the building.

Demolishing the QVB was an idea for more than a decade. In the late 1950's Sydney City Council wanted the building demolished for a public square with an underground carpark modeled on public squares in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

One proposal called for York Street to be tunneled.

Source: Anon. 1959. "Lord Mayors Idea For A New Square". The Sun Herald, May 10: 12. 

They felt that the building was just half the value of the site itself and not earning revenue for the council, who were the landholders.  They felt the public square and carpark would earn more revenue.

The question will be asked - What if it became reality?

• The proposed square for the eastern side of George Street would never be in the works.
• Stricter building codes for York, Market and George Streets. Some of the tall buildings we see today might not have been allowed, especially those in more recent years. The impact would go even to King Street and beyond.
• The focal point for events around Town Hall would have shifted to its north instead of the east. The public rallies and civil gatherings along George Street would not happen in the way we see today.

We should be grateful that one of finest buildings in Sydney from the Victorian era is still with us today. The decision to convert the building into a shopping centre has paid off massive dividends for Sydney. It is a much-loved destination for shopping in central Sydney and the most famous retail complex of all. It is a meeting place for people too. One can dine at a cafe and restaurant and watch the world go by. 

Related Entries

Added October 2022

• 1961: Harry Seidler calls for demolition of the QVB
• NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: Sydney Square Scheme (1968)