Murray House, a remarkable Victorian building with a history of 175 years, showcases the best of early colonial architecture with its distinctive Chinese red tiled roofs, arched façade, and verandahs. Originally serving as officers’ quarters at Murray Barracks and later as an administrative centre in Central, it has undergone a transformation into a commercial building that houses upscale restaurants and shops. The building was relocated to its current location on the waterfront of Stanley after being dismantled into 3,000 labeled pieces and reassembled with some parts from buildings in similar styles.

While it is a delight to enjoy a glass of beer while taking in the magnificent view of the entire bay from Murray House, it is worth pondering over whether its relocation and current use can genuinely preserve its authenticity. The preservation of heritage is not solely about the aesthetic values of the architecture but also the purposes associated with its location.

Upon closer inspection, it becomes apparent that many components of Murray House are not from the original building. For instance, the columns are from a different building in Yau Me Tei, the chimneys are from another building near Sai Ying Pun, and the flagpole outside of the building is from the battle ship HMS Tamar during WWII. While development and conservation are often conflicting issues, better planning could have prevented the degradation of its status as a Grade I historic building following its relocation.