Hurst Street – East Side

Crossing the junction of Hurst Street and Bromsgrove Street on the opposite corner is the Miss Vietnam, as the name indicates it is Vietnamese restaurant. Next door is the Greek themed Mykonos Café /Lounge Bar. Located between these two establishments is the entrance to the six storey Latitude Apartment Block.

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Below is a map which shows the stretch of Hurst Street between Bromsgrove Street in 1950s. There are a number of properties, but the largest 106-8 was the location of the only doctor’s practice in Hurst Street. In 1904, and 1921, the incumbent was listed as Archibald Russell Oliver MB CM. By 1939, John Wilson Gaston MB BCh was listed. Then in 1950 and 1956 it was IJ Eppel LRCP&S LM in charge.

By the 1960s this stretch of Hurst street appears to be devoid of buildings and according to the maps this situation seemed to exist until at least the turn of the century, probably until the Latitude building was constructed around 2008.

If at this point we turn our attention to the other side of the road we will see a rather fine looking building that occupies more than half of the block between Bromsgrove Street and Kent Street. This is 119 to 133 Hurst Street and it was built in 1929-30 as showrooms for Wells and Mayner, second hand car dealers. The architect was Alfred J Dunn. It seems to have stood the test of time as it is now mainly occupied by the Sidewalk club. There were a number of smaller retail units built at the northern end and these are occupied by a coffee shop and two selling oriental food. The service portion of Wells and Mayner’s showroom seemed to the used for motor servicing, and still appears to have the same purpose.

This is one of the few buildings in Hurst Street still standing since before WW2 – thank goodness for that!