London Court

London Court is a historic open shopping arcade in the central business district of Perth, Western Australia. Running between Hay Street Mall and St Georges Terrace, it is both a functioning retail precinct and one of Perth's best-known architectural and tourist landmarks. The four-level complex is distinguished by a deliberately theatrical mock-Tudor and Elizabethan design, including gabled façades, decorative shields, gargoyles, masks, crests, leaded lighting, weather vanes, terracotta paving, wrought-iron signage and large gates at its two principal entrances. The arcade was conceived by Claude de Bernales, a wealthy gold financier and businessman, as a commercial and residential development that would provide an important pedestrian connection through central Perth. The site had previously consisted of alleys known as Gun Alley. De Bernales acquired the relevant properties in February 1935 through the Australian Machinery and Investment Co. Ltd from former Perth mayor Thomas Molloy. Melbourne architect Bernard Evans designed the development in association with the Perth practices Oldham, Boas and Ednie-Brown, while Melbourne engineer Clive Steele acted as structural consultant. Construction began in August 1936 and was completed in less than a year at a reported cost of £80,000. London Court opened on 29 July 1937 in a ceremony conducted by Lieutenant Governor and former Western Australian premier Sir James Mitchell. At opening, the complex contained 24 residential flats, 53 shops and 55 offices, together with modern services for its period, including air conditioning, a basement restaurant, postal facilities and a laundry service. Most of the former residential space has subsequently been converted to commercial use. The arcade now primarily accommodates small speciality retailers, cafés and visitor-oriented businesses. Its most recognizable attractions are the animated clocks at either end of the arcade. At the Hay Street entrance, a clock is accompanied by four mechanized knights that emerge from a castle-like opening and move when the clock chimes. At the St Georges Terrace entrance, a mechanical figure of Saint George is shown fighting a dragon. The clock mechanisms were made by the Synchronome Company of London. The northern and southern interior ends also contain statues of Dick Whittington with his cat and Sir Walter Raleigh. The northern clock's visual concept has been associated with the Liberty Clock formerly installed at London's Liberty department store, while the building's wider style draws on romanticized Tudor architecture rather than reproducing a single historical English street. The opening was accompanied by a three-day Ye Olde English Fayre, featuring period costumes, dramatic performances, music and excerpts from Shakespeare. The event attracted several thousand people and raised £2,000 for Perth Hospital, linking the arcade's commercial launch with a civic and charitable celebration. Ownership remained with de Bernales until 1950, when the property was sold to pastoralists Henry and William Butcher. The Butcher family retained it for decades. London Court received recognition from the National Trust of Australia in 1978, was entered on the Register of the National Estate in 1982, and was added to the State Heritage Register by the Heritage Council of Western Australia in 1996. In 2021, the Butcher family sold the arcade to Singapore-based property developer Fragrance Group Ltd. London Court remains an active retail destination, a pedestrian link within Perth's CBD and a preserved example of interwar commercial architecture.

London Court occupies land in central Perth that was formerly divided into alleys known as Gun Alley. Claude de Bernales, a prominent gold financier and businessman, acquired the properties from former Perth mayor Thomas Molloy in February 1935 through the Australian Machinery and Investment Co. Ltd. He envisioned a substantial commercial and residential complex that would improve movement between Perth Railway Station, the central shopping streets and the area around the Esplanade. The project was designed by Melbourne architect Bernard Evans in collaboration with Perth-based consulting architects Oldham, Boas and Ednie-Brown. Clive Steele of Melbourne served as structural engineering consultant. Construction commenced in August 1936 and took less than twelve months. The completed building used relatively modern construction and building services for its time, including an air-conditioning system described as new to Western Australia. It also included a basement restaurant, postal service and laundry facilities. The original plan provided 53 shops, 55 offices and 24 residential flats distributed through the four-level arcade. The development opened on 29 July 1937. Sir James Mitchell, then lieutenant governor and a former premier of Western Australia, conducted the opening ceremony and described the project as unusual in the Australian context. The launch was accompanied by a three-day festival styled as Ye Olde English Fayre. Volunteers wore Elizabethan costumes, and the program included theatrical extracts from Twelfth Night, madrigals, folk singing and evening performances. Several thousand people attended, and the event raised £2,000 for Perth Hospital. Architecturally, London Court belongs to the interwar Tudor Revival tradition. Its mock-Tudor treatment includes steep gables, decorative timber and plaster effects, weather vanes, leaded lights, terracotta floor tiles and elaborate wrought-iron work. The façades are populated by gargoyles, masks, shields, crests and ornamental brackets. Large gates frame both ends of the arcade. The building's theatrical identity is reinforced by statues of Dick Whittington and his cat at the northern end and Sir Walter Raleigh at the southern end. Mechanical clocks became central to London Court's public identity. The Hay Street entrance has a clock with a mechanized sequence in which four knights emerge from a castle-like door and move in a stylized joust whenever the clock chimes. At the St Georges Terrace end, a mechanical Saint George is shown fighting a dragon. The clock equipment was produced by the Synchronome Company of London. The northern entrance's clock and animation have been compared with the Liberty Clock formerly associated with London's Liberty department store, including a warning about the use of time. De Bernales retained ownership until 1950, when the arcade was sold to pastoralist brothers Henry and William Butcher. The Butcher family then held the property for approximately seventy years. London Court's heritage importance was formally recognized through National Trust classification in 1978, inclusion on the Register of the National Estate in 1982 and entry onto the Western Australian State Heritage Register in 1996. These designations helped preserve the arcade as a landmark as Perth's central business district changed around it. Over time, much of the original residential accommodation was converted to commercial space. The complex's contemporary role is principally that of a speciality retail and café arcade, while its clocks, statues and period styling make it a regular tourist attraction. In 2021, ownership passed from the Butcher family to Singaporean property developer Fragrance Group Ltd in a reported transaction valued at A$28.4 million. London Court continues to operate as a publicly accessible heritage shopping arcade in Perth's CBD.

• 2021

  Sale to Fragrance Group

  [1]London Courten.wikipedia.org

  Fragrance Group Ltd acquired London Court from the Butcher family.

• 1996

  State Heritage Register listing

  [1]London Courten.wikipedia.org

  The Heritage Council of Western Australia added the arcade to the State Heritage Register.

• 1982

  Register of the National Estate listing

  [1]London Courten.wikipedia.org

  London Court was entered on Australia's Register of the National Estate.

• 1978

  National Trust classification

  [1]London Courten.wikipedia.org

  The National Trust of Australia recognized London Court as a heritage property.

• 1950

  Ownership transfers to the Butcher family

  [1]London Courten.wikipedia.org

  Claude de Bernales sold the property to pastoralist brothers Henry and William Butcher.

• 1937

  Official opening

  [1]London Courten.wikipedia.org

  London Court opened on 29 July with a formal ceremony and a three-day English-themed public fayre.

• 1936

  Construction begins

  [1]London Courten.wikipedia.org

  Construction of the Tudor Revival arcade began in August and was completed in less than a year.

• 1935

  Site acquired for the development

  [1]London Courten.wikipedia.org

  Claude de Bernales acquired the properties associated with Gun Alley from former Perth mayor Thomas Molloy through the Australian Machinery and Investment Co. Ltd.

A heritage-led urban shopping and visitor destination combining small-scale speciality retail with distinctive interwar Tudor Revival architecture and animated mechanical attractions.

• Heritage retail property · 1937

  London Court shopping arcade

  The core offering is a four-level pedestrian arcade containing small speciality retailers, cafés and other commercial tenants. It also functions as a visitor attraction because of its mock-Tudor façades, wrought-iron gates, mechanical clocks, animated figures, statues and decorative details. Originally the property combined shops, offices and residential flats; most former residential areas are now used commercially.

• Visitor attraction · 1937

  Mechanized clock displays

  At the Hay Street entrance, four mechanical knights emerge from a castle-like opening and move in a stylized joust when the clock chimes. At the opposite entrance, a miniature mechanical Saint George confronts a dragon. These displays are among London Court's most recognizable public features and contribute substantially to its tourism profile.

• 1937Ye Olde English Fayre

  Perth · Western Australia

  A three-day Tudor- and Elizabethan-themed opening festival used costumed volunteers, drama, music, madrigals, folk singing and Shakespearean excerpts to introduce the new arcade to Perth. The event attracted several thousand visitors and supported a fundraising effort for Perth Hospital.

  Outcome. The launch generated substantial public attention and raised £2,000 for Perth Hospital.

  Source

• 2021

  Sale of London Court to Fragrance GroupM&A

  Background

  The Butcher family had owned the arcade since its sale by Claude de Bernales in 1950.

  Action taken

  The property was sold to Singaporean property developer Fragrance Group Ltd.

  Aftermath

  Fragrance Group became the reported owner while London Court continued operating as a retail arcade and heritage attraction.

  Reported sale price. A$28.4 million (2021)

  Source

1. 1London Courten.wikipedia.org
2. 2London Court official websitelondoncourt.com.au