Colonnade Hotel

[Vivienne14]

This Hotel was replaced by the 1960s Woolworth building in New Street. We’ve had various images pop up on threads across the Forum. The images below were originally posted by Dennis Williams and Phil. (Thanks to both of you).

It seems to me to be a sadly overlooked building in terms of New Street history. The architecture was very ornate, but all was wiped away in the mid-1900s to make way for modernisation. But was it all wiped away ? According to Wikipedia (and yes, I know we can’t believe everything we read):

“Colonnade Hotel, a conglomerate of buildings some of which remain. Many have been demolished”.

So what exactly remains of the old Colonnade buildings ? Viv.

 

[DavidGrain]

Have found this image on https://viewfinder.historicengland.org.uk/search/reference.aspx?uid=216017&index=132&mainQuery=&searchType=all&form=basic&theme=&county=WEST MIDLANDS&district=&placeName=



A view of the Ethel Street, Stephenson Street frontage

 

[guilbert53]

Makes you want to cry when you see what was demolished in this city.

Birmingham has a poor current image when it comes to architecture ("concrete city"), even though we do still have many fine buildings.

However if so many other fine buildings had not been knocked down Birmingham could have been one of the finest examples of Victorian architecture in the country.

 

[Vivienne14]

Pre the 1950s/60s Woolworths building on New Street, there was an unnamed road/passageway running alongside the Colonnade Hotel from New Street down to Stephenson Street. The 1888 map below shows it running parallel with Ethel Street. Looking at Streetview this seems to have disappeared. I think it possibly ran from the point of the present day Boots. I wonder if any of the passageway still exists behind Boots ? If so could this be why Wikipedia suggests some of the Colonnade building still exists.

Maybe the passageway was originally for the hotel ? And maybe horsencart’s modern image on the New Street Birmingham thread (post #146 here https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/new-street-birmingham.38783/page-8 ) was where this passageway exited onto Stephenson Street.

Viv.

 

[mikejee]

viv
The c1950map shows the passage was called colonnade passage, and the 1950 Kellys shows that on the left side were a series of shops, hairdressers etc

 

[DavidGrain]

95 New Street would have been the original entrance to the Colonade Hotel. There have been other photos on the forum showing the large entrance door to the building which until 1961 was the Chamber of Commerce before their move out to Edgbaston.

A Fire Alarm Post on the corner of New Street and Ethel Street. Remember them?

 

[Vivienne14]

Thanks both. That now makes sense looking at the last image in post #1 (originally posted by Phil on another thread). I can now just make out the name Colonnade Passage next to the Hotel entrance. The Hotel was located on the floors above ground floor, so it looks like there was a series of retail units all around the ground floor. Viv.

 

[Astoness]

such a lovely building...it often crosses my mind if the powers that be ever regret demolishing our old buildings but then i think most likely not as its still going on now

lyn

 

[Vivienne14]

Was pondering why another hotel was needed in New Street given the other choices of hotel along New Street. Then realised the Colonnade was right next door to the Theatre Royal (as well, as being in close proximity to the station). Must have had many stage artistes staying there in it’s hey day. That’s assuming they could afford their prices.

Mikes map in post #5 has “TCBs” marked at the bottom of Colonnade Passage. What was that ? Viv.

 

[pjmburns]

Viv they are Telephone Call Boxes

 

[Vivienne14]

Oh of course, thanks Janice. Viv.

 

[MagnusD]

Does anyone know if there were residential addresses in Colonnade Passage?

When my Gt Grandmother married in 1910, her occupation was recorded as 'restaurant waitress' and her address was recorded as 'Colonnade Passage':

If the ground floor addresses of the Colonnade Hotel building were shop units, the upper floors were the hotel, and the other side of the passage was the side of the Theatre Royal, I am wondering if an address of Colonnade Passage could mean she was living and working at the hotel?

Comparing an 1889 map with Mike's post#5, the passage seemed to change little between 1889 and 1950: