Battery Hotel's contents being sold to highest bidders

Auctioneer Blair Lovelace tends to speak quickly, but this week he's in a real hurry to sell the contents of the former Battery Hotel in St. John's.

"Every item was tagged, counted, right down to the cutlery," says Lovelace. "We had to count that six months ago."

Memorial University bought the Battery Hotel in 2013 and will use the facility for graduate student housing along with office space.

• MUN seeking input on aspects of Battery renovation

Fitzpatrick's Auctioneering is selling the contents of the hotel this week. Dozens of bed linens and the contents of all the hotel rooms were sold yesterday.

A cast iron ship's wheel, formerly in the hotel bar, is also on the auction block.

The sale drew out bargain hunters, but the biggest customers were the business owners.

"The fridges are a good deal," said Kirk Fleming of Wanna Buy/Wanna Sell. "You get the room for thirty and forty bucks. There's a lot of gravy there."

Restaurateur Bonnie Hickey was looking for some leather chairs to spruce up her restaurant.

"The quality is perfect," said Hickey. "And if I can get them for $10 each and this room for $25, perfect!"

The auction concludes on Saturday with art work, kitchen supplies and the remaining furniture.