Chinese Theatre Hostel, Ipoh

Chinese Theatre Hostel, Ipoh (18 June, 2011)

Chinese Theatre Hostel (GPS: 4.59646, 101.07786) is a three-storey building along Jalan Bandar Timah (Leech Street), just beside Concubine Lane. Built in the 1920's, it provided lodging for the Chinese opera troupes that performed at the theatre next door to it.

The Chinese theatre in Ipoh dates back to 1891. It was one of the early development projects initiated by local tin-mining tycoon Yau Tet Shin, on former padi fields acquired from Datoh Panglima Kinta Muhammad Yusuff. That theatre was rebuilt in 1906 to accommodate up to 1,500 spectators.

The three-storey building is still standing today, though it is today used as a coffee shop, Restoran Ipoh Kong Heng.