URWIN’S THEATRE ROYAL HOTEL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4908, 14 December 1876, Page 6

URWIN’S THEATRE ROYAL HOTEL.

Mr. P'rwin’B new hotel at .the corner of Laffibibrifeuay*'rind >JoKnßton-st'reet: is now rapidly approaching completion, and will on Tuesday next be-so'far 'advanced as to more than justify the Licensing Commissioners in duly qualifying the enterprising proprietor to ; carry on his calling upon the premises. There is no more delicate subject to dwell upon than the discretion mpst properly vested by the law in the Commissioners;' 'of withholding andjrb? fusiiiglioehSesy' kid' they have a most ‘important tVperfdrm tO'the and-the State in the exercise of their functions. In considering the ijpahting of aUicense'to 'such a.house as that!of-MrJ Urwin’S/ thbrbis'riot/'hoWever, much difficulty, for) the.excellence of the accommodation provided, forj the..-public, and the necessity for such an v with?the are". circujnstances.;, of, such; weight in favor ofthe. application that any interested opposition must qf,necessity.be It is only where licenses' are, asked f or. premises which, perhaps, harelyi.cpmply . with(the requirements of the law, or. .where, there is a plethora of the publ/chouse element, that the Bench so wisely,. roffee -to ; allow additional hotel extension, and . we. have ,no doubt that Mr. jjrwinVpluclc and. enterprise in incurring a vast outlay, in- the* ereqtiqri of .so handsome a building will he duly appreciated on Tuesday, and he "will bo allowed; to., reap the legitimate fruits of his expenditure.',., The hew,building is erected on a block of'.'land iwjth a, frontage of 99ft. to, Lambton-quay,, and ,56£t. to Johnstonstrefe, the ground rent for. the laud amounting to no : 'lesß | : .thah.-£351; 95. : per',auhum'i being at' ’ the Irate' of J £3/‘-,115." per ’..foot V frontage to Lambton-quay, 1 . ? Mr..'.Urwin has obtained 1 - a‘ building , lease. ['for, ‘.twenty-one years, under yvhich he .is , boundj to, keep the building in complete repair' until 'the end'of the term/'when it will revert to and,become the'prbperty bf the lessors'; so' it • will'be seen that he is running a, considerable;risk from a commercial point 1 of view in his speculation. The design'‘and I ’elevation of the'building is very handsome ; and there are three entrances -dfehrimairi'entraneq. from, Lambtofequay, .suri mbvffited' by a' arid'two side entrances . from Johnatori-Street,"one leadirig' to the side t barn and; bar. parlor, and- the .'other being, the 1 private : entrance: into>the hotel and upper ves- ! tibulel i; Going; >in at the- .main {entrance, youiimmediately istepnintobthe’ lower ! fineshandaome<room,; 56ttilong by 28ft, wide.; > This, a'bar all down the; ! right-hand -side 1 ;-anal'oni.the left a nuinber'of; [small tables,'will bfe !arranged;i.with chairs,” j lounges,'.'&oiOn’ the drilmediate left of the' door, an ioyster-room is.'heing 'erected, which' i Will; be; fitted‘;in a .most' luxurious .'style, and 1 oontaina-a .gas > stove. and ■- oven -for hot water I arid ,:other; purposes. - . This vestibule, will have 'immediate 1j connection: /with "the pit > of', tlio--1 theatre,v;arid an arrangement has- been made Iwith thei'management ;for a' uew>"system ofloheckrtaking; by. which those who go in'for a shillirigsw'orth;at- the play, can i-havel free exist; ; and; egress.' oOn the right-hand side of the main entrance'.is' , a door, leading through the bar : parior-s-a nic'e li,Ulo anuggery—into .the public' bar, which fearqbm.aOft-'long’bjfeSft.i . The ' bar in this room will be--circular in form? and fittedwitb-eyerymoderqimpioyement,:;Gk)ing out at the bag;, entrance, - and .coming in at the. principal.eritran'ce’ in, J.ohristdri-street, _o ver.. which there ( is, some very .excellent-and handsoihe barfeng,'feij*turn to the immediate right, into 'which is‘admirably adapted'fotf the' ( purpose;' 1 and-is''"a- 'square'of > |l9ft. Coming out of this'robm 'and'going up ; . [stairs, WhibK hyJthe' wayi'drq Wfefy'wide'arid'. commodious, you enter'on the-immediate'right, a-'- private,)''sitting-roomo£'" : the '- same' size’ ' [as the commercial'room; > over!lwhich .'it is [situate? KDhectly;'oppb3itefthe'>dobr»bf-!this* room is the upstairs vestibule; W firiri room/56ft. iloiigri)yi26tt; btoadjj'ahd which is r tb bbffitted’ l jup incthb/samefistyle hs ‘the'vestibulh'to'the [Melbourne Theatre, with tables and sofas,’ Mr,. iUrwimbtating that KeiS'goiri'g'th-spiitri ipense to make it the -most ■' handsomely’ furjnished Dohnilin the) colony; AThe’'veWihrile’has' 3 direct communication with the upper’dirble of ■tHb/theatre, 'and dbnlla^ t: iudrta%eiribh& !:l [been made as. to cbefek-takingias in'therioonr jbblSW.l’’ This arrriftgemerihwill ! bd a gre'at bbbn [to theatre-goers during the intervals' ori'wet ment, from the hot theatre 7 to' :! adjacent hbstelries/'thrbrigh - the wet-arid -bold/* is'gehe- - felly "followed, by- a stiff- neck [or'teribe'biririlar jevil, and we-can> congratulate’the proprietor, and the management on having'corrie to'terins'' pn fT this;'matteri l '- Jl .Off‘ the’ vestibule and' fdcirig, thb"riprrieri of 'Lambton-quay Jbhrittbife' ptreetiiiri'the ' dinirig-rbdm/’whicKus aKoa-vSry fine room, 32ft, lStig.lby: i9fti' wide, [ and well suitedi.for itis intended td serve. Onthe sttari sidarif .tlie westibulecyou descend i half-a-dozen /steps ,into . thot billiafd 5 . felooni;>whioh.'isl4Bft..ilbng by 23ft. .wide/arid'fell be fitted with two pffelobiik’s.best'billiard tables, and aEiflneiiSupfey'of-Miew cues) balls, and ;all other mecOssaries for the gaine.' This is valtogethekH one lofdhri heat billiard robins.iri' fee city; , andtfivb(.bedrooms open'up'off'itj'so" that boswdera,. vyhp jplay ’Jate,;- accominodatod, wifeput , of the honßeCLXhesctfeomfeiro~aujeady--MBiple(ecfe ;tp,q mal^ej them ready for use*.* Ai„fes‘head of the staife leading anptljer staircase, at the'head* of which'is a linen-closet, etc.,.and a. lqng corridor,/ rooms open ]put( iTheae prq;.of ,a(feie,; airy feature,' and are riot'to ~bo. surpassed at any hQtpliu.town,.,,' Coming , dqiivng taira: again you ,deßpend ~a aWfei ( stairoa»oftoj ( tbej leftjijwhere, therq/. fire‘situate ,two,,,pther iC tifinq bedrooms, ; ; opening off h.lawlfeg back staiiy; (Case .descends to,the', staircase is, yeiyj feeful* if .being -an .additional nqutlet Jny jfee cgfej of, fife, \and,, the ■, vestibules j improve) t ,the v Thfetep - ip|thia. .respect, as.,in the case of panic br’ariy other accident it could be (Cleared at?bnce. The kitchen is .16ft. x 13ft, and is s pfefeded ;fefe .a.Lepmjngton range, . capable of (femg(',febnder%Jnj,.fee way ; of-cooking, and a patent Hoist communicating.tlirough I .the. upper vestibule with the dining room. A great featureintho kitchpn,is.the,patent.ventilator, 1 •.which will remove all the'unpleasant odours ; , arising from tho, cooking;; and /Which render irianyhoteWSlmost iunb,earable.!/The frontage to Lambton-quay not-ocoiipied-by the lower ves,tlbule,,is',taken ,np’,'iby -twri -very 1 firie : Bhbps, ; ’wliioh'.we understand: aro nlready faken.'- The- • 'feature, which most fstrilres sbne;in' aU‘ , the' [ rooms is tho .abundance of idight, Mr: ; TJrwin’s ■ architect not.having. bben sparing in .flrififtlittkr 1 - 1 of .glass.; oThei-winddws in; the, front' will'befitted with .marginal, colored ■ glass,-which will-' add considerably to their effect. Tho cost? of ' the building','albribi/amounts to £4900, Mr. [Eansom'boing.’the contractor. Mr. Turnbull I'is the archicteot, and-the-decorating- bas-boem -. by .by Mr. /Tinnoy.- • ~The furniture/ nphel? . steife §c.; is. to .bo, furnished by Mr.- -Nioh6laori. 4 I at a,obst,bf.£jsoo. ~Tho building is.altogether' ajoredit to'the city, and Who is well known amongat up,,pvary, success in his new.uudertakiug. ~ ,