United Kingdom Hotel
| Clifton Hill McDonald's | |
|---|---|
 Clifton Hill McDonalds in 2011 | |
| Former names | United Kingdom Hotel |
Alternative names | Art Deco McDonald's[1] |
General information | |
Architectural style | Art Deco, Moderne |
| Year built | 1938 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | James Wardrop |
The former United Kingdom Hotel is a historic pub in Clifton Hill, Victoria, that currently houses a McDonald's restaurant.[2] Designed by James Wardrop in 1938, it is regarded as one of the best examples of jazz moderne architecture in Melbourne,[3] and its current status as a McDonald's has lead it to be described as one of the "quirkiest" buildings on the Victorian Heritage Register.[4]
Architecture
The United Kingdom Hotel building is a two-storeyed brick hotel on a prominent triangular site overlooking the intersection Heidelberg Road and Queens Parade.[5]
The style of the hotel is an interpretation of Moderne architecture by its architect James Wardrop. It has bold horizontal and vertical elements, such as brick banding, a stepped parapet, and a glazed terra cotta tiled tower.[6][7]
The United Kingdom Hotel has been called a three-dimensional comparison to Wardrop's previously designed Art Deco Alkira House—built in 1936.[3] Wardrop is most well known for designing the Shrine of Remembrance with Phillip Hudson.[2]
History
The site of the United Kingdom Hotel has had a hotel since as early as 1880. By 1906, the building was demolished and a replacement was built.[5]
In 1938, the current hotel was built for its owner Carlton & United Breweries.[5] The pub was delicensed in 1988, before it was turned into a McDonald's restrauant. Because of the heritage rules, the pub only underwent small modifications for its conversion, and both the interior and the exterior has remained largely intact.[3] The book McAtlas lists it as Australia's best McDonald's location.[1]
References
- 1 2 Lam, Lee Tran (2025-08-01). "Does Australia's biggest contribution to global dining come from ... McDonald's?". The Age Good Food. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
- 1 2 Dubecki, Larissa. "Clifton Hill: The home of Melbourne's most controversial McDonald's". Domain. Archived from the original on 2025-09-25. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
- 1 2 3 "Former United Kingdom Hotel". Victorian Heritage Register. 24 August 1988. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
- ↑ Sambul, Najma (2023-07-01). "What's the quirkiest thing on Victoria's heritage register?". The Age. Retrieved 2026-08-09.
- 1 2 3 Ward, Andrew (April 1889). Collingwood Conservation Study (PDF). Andrew C Ward & Associates. pp. 485–487.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ↑ Grow, Robin (2014-06-01). Melbourne Art Deco. Brolga Publishing Pty Ltd. p. 100. ISBN 9781922175472.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ↑ Collingwood Historical Society. "All Hotels". Archived from the original on 15 February 2019.