I went home through St.Kilda and saw a small crowd in front of a documentary projected to a wall.
As I figured out, it was the premiere of “Judging The Gatwick”, a story about The Gatwick Private Hotel in St.Kilda on Fitzroy Street, for many years run by the sisters Yvette Kelly and Rose Banks. They provided shelter for less fortunate in our society. It was home, it was run down and there was trouble and occasionally violence too. The twins were working on it since they were 14, when her parents, migrants from Malta owned it.
A complicated story, it seems. As Fitzroy Street itself, home of the homeless, Aboriginal people on grog, a soup van in the evening, close by splendid restaurants, posh apartments and the sea.
If you want to know more about it, maybe visit https://www.thegatwickhotel.com/
Finally, it was sold and ended up with a makeover by Channel Nine’s renovation show The Block. This week the renovated apartments were auctioned. One of them is now the former owners’ home.