Royal Arcade sold

The historic property in the centre of the city known as the Royal Arcade was offered for sale yesterday afternoon at the rooms of Mrs James Sampson & Co under conduct of the registrar of the Supreme Court in a suit for the partition of the property. A great deal of interest was shown in the sale and this was revealed in the large attendance. An additional point of interest was contained in the fact that some doubt appears to have been thrown on the right of the proprietors of the arcade to deprive the public of the long established right of way through it. The owners of the property, when it was put up to auction were Mrs Sievwright’s Trustees and Mr A. Palmer, each party owning a half share. Mr James Sampson opened the sale, remarking that it was very seldom that half an acre in the centre of the city was offered for sale by public auction. At the present time there were 33 shops

and a cafe on the property, and if these were removed the site would be eminently suitable for the erection of a theatre or an hotel.