Ballarat building redevelopment reveals old servo

REDEVELOPMENT of the former Wes Davidson Real Estate building on the corner of Sturt and Raglan street has revealed quite an unusual sight.An old service station that was hidden for years has been uncovered and is providing passers-by with a glimpse of days gone by.The old brick building, which is still striped with red and yellow paint that resembles a modern day Shell service station, bares the Batt & Lyons Service Station logo.To many though, the history of the building remains unknown.Until a few weeks ago it was the Wes Davidson Real Estate Office and was previously it was also the Big Red Hen chicken restaurant.The building, 701 Sturt Street, is not considered to contribute to the current heritage overlay and is not listed on the National Trusts of Australia.The Courier tried contacting the developer of the building but was unsuccessful.