Royal Hotel, Footscray

I've seen a photo of a much older Royal Hotel on this prominent corner in Footscray dating from around the 1880s but I don't know if this is a complete rebuild or a make-over. So many Melbourne pubs were renovated during the 20s and 30s to help them prevent their hotel licences being recinded and the pub closed by the authorities.

In any case it is a great hotel, a great ship even, with a rounded facade on the apex of the corner.

The decoration is minimal with some speedlines on the parapet and tiled columns either side of the entrance.

I took this photo in 2005 and I noticed when I passed recently that the paintwork around the name still hadn't been finished.