When I read that Doltone House was going to lease a quarter of the original Paddy’s Markets in Sydney’s CBD, I was shocked. For those unfamiliar with the harbour city’s high-end conference venue and low-end souvenir-peddling scenes, let me explain – Doltone House setting up in Paddy’s is a bit like a high tea venue slinging scones in the corner of Aldi. And while I’m a fan of both cucumber sandwiches and discount retail, I can’t figure out how this can happen without ruining something intangibly great about my favourite part of Sydney.
This is a hyper-local story about a particular block in Sydney’s Chinatown but it’s also about cities everywhere, and how we need to protect the historic parts that we love.
