Coffee shops have become quite a feature of Launceston life in recent times, but the Coffee Palaces of the late 19th century served a much broader purpose.
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Coffee Palaces were in fact Temperance Hotels, established in the late 19th century as an alternative to those that served alcohol.
Coffee was seen as the antithesis of alcohol, even though tea was a much more common and popular drink.
The Launceston Coffee Palace was established in Brisbane Street Launceston by Samuel Sutton in 1881 and was often called Sutton's Coffee Palace.
It was the first in Launceston and the only one for some years. Samuel Sutton went on to become an alderman, Mayor of Launceston and a member of the Legislative Council.
He was the driving force behind the Tasmanian Exhibition of 1891-92, instrumental in the establishment of QVMAG and in bringing electric light to Launceston.
The Launceston Coffee Palace was built where the Westpac Bank now stands at 75 Brisbane Street.
The three-storeyed building had accommodation, a dining room, a billiards room, reading room and smoking room. It was expanded in 1890 when another 60 rooms were added.
In later years it was known as the Metropole Hotel and was finally demolished in 1976.
The Federal Coffee Palace was in Charles Street, on the western side between Brisbane and Paterson streets.
It was built by MJ Dunning and changed hands several times. It advertised 'Refreshments at any hour, hot and cold water baths, first-class stabling'. The building is still there.
The International Coffee Palace was at 130 Brisbane Street, where the National Australia Bank now stands, in the Mall.
It advertised itself as 'A home away from home'. In 1933 it cost 8/- per day or 50/- per week to stay there.
The Commonwealth Coffee Palace was at 23-29 Tamar Street and backed onto the gas works.
It promoted its proximity to the Inveresk railway station and the river, the most important means of transport at the time. It was demolished in the 1960s.
Shields' Temperance Hotel was at 77 Esplanade, near Queen's Wharf.
In the mid-1890s it advertised itself as a Coffee Palace. The building was reduced in size as the nearby Monds Flour Mills expanded and was finally demolished in the 1950s.
The Victoria Coffee Palace was on the south-east side of the Quadrant from 1889 until the early 1900s.
Probably Tasmania's best-known Coffee Palace still standing is on Maria Island. It now houses the island's museum.