THE COLOSSEUM PROPERTY.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16947, 23 September 1920, Page 7

THE COLOSSEUM PROPERTY.

4 PURCHASED BY FULLERS. NEW THEATBE TO BE BUILT. Tho sale -was completed yesterday of the Colosseum to tho Fuller Proprietary, who previously held the property on lease, and have now acquired tho freo(hold. Tho prico paid is not disclosed, but at £100 per foot on both frontages, Gloucester street and Armagh street, the figure -would be well over £12,000. The Colosseum site was an original purchase by the Lyttelton Family, who disposed of it on the Glasgow lease system, and tho dead hand of that tenure has lain heavily on tike property ever since. The building itself was erected by one of tho early tenants many years ago as a skating rink, at a time when the roller-skating crazo was enjoying its first boom. The craze, however, collapsed, as it has a habit of doing, and the property changed hands, and ■was fitted up as a boot factory, and continued as sudh for several years. Thereafter, it had a varied career, a succession of tenants coming and going. Roller-skating was carried on again at intervals, and one tenant went ]to the .expense of putting in a new , flooring for tho purpose. The tenancy was finally acquired by the Fullers, who used the building as a picture hall, and did remarkably well there, xintil tho advent of the up-to-date lecture theatre, wihich followed as part of the development of the new amusement, caused its reKnquishment. The nature of the tenure was such as to discourage anybody from effecting any big improvements, although the Fuller firm spent a considerable sum of money in renovating the building for picture purposes. "When the pictures left, the Colosseum was again used for roller-sjcating, also' for various casual shows, sudh as the Queen Carnival, cafe chantant, and motor exhibitions. Its career came to an end last year. The ancient fabric could not stand the strain of a stormy political meeting, and following on that episode the builcling was condemned by the oity authorities, and has stood in |silence ever since. A new era in the history of the Colosseum now dawns. It is tine intention of the Fuller firm to erect an elaborate theatre on tho site, which it is claimed will be easily tho finest structure of its kind in Australasia. The plans are now in course of preparation, and building will be started directly the present restrictions are removed. The credit.of effecting a straight-out sale of a notable city property which languished for so long under "an unhappy tenure, is due to Mr T. l>. Harman, who a.eted with Mr Brn J. Fuller, governing director of the firm of John Fuller, Ltd., in bringing tho negotiations to a,successful issue.