Lord Mayor Robert Doyle commits to helping save Melbourne’s oldest home

Lord Mayor Robert Doyle has told 3AW he will intervene to help fund repairs to one of the oldest dwellings in Melbourne’s CBD.

As first reported on the 3AW Breakfast Rumour File, an elderly couple who have spent their life in Russell’s Old Corner Shop have been scrambling to raise funds to prevent it from collapsing.

Owner Lola Russell and husband George run the Old Corner Shop, which 170 years old, on the corner King and La Trobe streets.

However, council workers had to move in last week to prop up the building.

George told 3AW Breakfast they need at least $30,000 to undertake the necessary repairs to the north wall.

“At the moment it’s propped up. It’s had a time limit of a month and already a week has passed,” he said.

Click PLAY below to hear his chat with Justin and Kate (photo in player via The Age)

Robert Doyle has told Tony Jones he would step in.

But he’s not setting a precedent.

Click PLAY at the top of the page to hear more from the Lord Mayor on the topic