Walk down Perth’s Hay Street and surrounded by modern retail development is a four-storey Tudor arcade with stone facing, timber-framed upper storeys, gargoyles, and a blue-faced clock modelled on the great clock of Rouen, France. This is London Court, and despite looking like something you’d need a ticket for, it’s a fully functioning shopping arcade, free to walk through, connecting Hay Street to St Georges Terrace right in the heart of the CBD.
It was built in 1937 for Claude de Bernales, a gold financier with a taste for spectacle, designed by Melbourne architect Bernard Evans in association with local firm Oldham, Boas and Ednie-Brown, and reportedly inspired by London’s Liberty department store, itself a mock-Tudor building from the 1920s. It opened with an “Olde English Fayre” complete with Elizabethan costume and traditional music, which tells you everything about the level of theatre de Bernales was going for.
The Clock: More Than an Hourly Gimmick
The arcade’s signature feature is its mechanical clock, built by the Synchronome Company, with a “Tournament of Armoured Knights” jousting at one end and a knight battling a dragon (a nod to St George) at the other. It chimes and the figures move every quarter hour, not just on the hour, so you’ve got a good chance of catching it if you’re passing through for more than a few minutes. It’s mechanically simple and a little clunky by modern standards, which is exactly why it’s endeared itself to generations of Perth locals and visitors alike.
The Architecture
The original 1937 building packed in 53 shops, a basement inn, 55 offices and 24 residential flats across four levels, an ambitious mixed-use development for its time. The building is heritage-listed (National Trust classification since 1978, State Heritage Register since 1996, and Register of the National Estate since 1982), which protects the exterior’s architectural integrity while leaving the interior as working commercial space.
What’s Actually There
Ground and second-floor retail offers jewellery, fashion, a handful of casual cafes, and a mix of long-standing tenants and newer arrivals. The upper levels arent open to the public, featuring offices and apartments.
Shop hours typically run around 10am to 6pm on weekdays, slightly shorter on Saturdays and Sundays, though individual retailers vary; the arcade itself and the clock are viewable at any hour as you pass through. It opens onto Hay Street on one side and St Georges Terrace, Perth’s financial and business strip, on the other, a dual-frontage design that was strategic when it was built and still works well today as a pedestrian shortcut through the block. Perth Train Station is roughly a four-minute walk to the north, and Elizabeth Quay Station is a similar distance to the south.
Getting There
Both London Court entrances sit within a few minutes’ walk of two train stations, so whichever line you’re on, you’re close. Coming via the Mandurah, Fremantle or Yanchep lines, Elizabeth Quay Station on the St Georges Terrace side is the nearest stop; on the Armadale, Midland, Airport, Ellenbrook or Thornlie–Cockburn lines, Perth Station to the north is closer.
Numerous CBD bus routes also stop right nearby on St Georges Terrace, with the closest stops at St Georges Terrace after Barrack Street and St Georges Terrace after William Street. Given how central it is, walking in from wherever else you are in the CBD is usually simplest.
Combine With the CBD
London Court sits naturally within a broader CBD walk. Perth Central Library is a short walk away if you want somewhere to sit with good architecture and city views. Elizabeth Quay and the Bell Tower precinct are both within a 10-minute walk for riverside dining and views, and Kings Park is roughly 20 minutes on foot if you want to move from urban heritage into bushland.
Is It Worth It?
Yes, as a quick, free, characterful stop rather than a planned destination. Fifteen minutes is enough to appreciate the architecture and, ideally, catch the quarter-hour joust; a bit longer if you want to actually browse the shops. It’s one of the easiest wins in central Perth: minimal time investment, no cost, and a level of visual interest that’s rare in a modern CBD.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is London Court free to enter?
Yes, it’s a working shopping arcade with open access from both Hay Street and St Georges Terrace, no ticket or time limit.
When does the clock perform?
Every quarter hour, with the jousting knights and the St George and dragon figures both moving as the clock chimes. It’s not limited to the top of the hour.
How long should I spend here?
10 to 15 minutes to appreciate the architecture and catch the clock, up to 45 minutes to an hour if you’re actually browsing the shops.
Is it heritage-listed?
Yes, on the State Heritage Register (since 1996), National Trust of Australia (WA) classification (since 1978), and the former Register of the National Estate (since 1982).
Is it touristy?
It’s a mix. Tourists photograph the clock and facade, while the shops do real trade with locals. It functions as working heritage rather than a preserved museum piece.
Are there good dining options inside?
A few casual cafes, but it’s not a dining destination in itself. Hay Street and Elizabeth Quay nearby have considerably more choice.
How do I get there without a car?
Elizabeth Quay Station (Mandurah, Fremantle and Yanchep lines) is a few minutes’ walk from the St Georges Terrace entrance, and Perth Station (Armadale, Midland, Airport, Ellenbrook and Thornlie–Cockburn lines) is a similar distance from the Hay Street side. Several CBD bus routes also stop right on St Georges Terrace nearby.