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Grand Hotel Colmore Row

Hi El: It looks as though the photos have only been released in the MS Power Point programme so far. Hopefully, they will be available in another programme.
I think that you can download a converter programme but I am not sure about that. Someone else may know.
 
It all looks though it's coming along great, it's marvellous what they can do when they have to. If Horton's had have been able to get their own way we would have had another plastic & stainless steel building standing on the spot today.
 
Just opened the slideshow on my Nexus Tablet. No Power Point.
 
I am sure you can download Power Point Viewers for free. Perhaps someone could look at this as I already have Power Point so cannot check it.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=13

Pretty sure you can use LibreOffice as well. This is a pretty good alternative to the Microsoft Office Suite but for free. Update - Just managed to successfully open the photos etc using LibreOffice.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Just managed to successfully open the photos etc using LibreOffice.
 
I clicked on the link with my iPad and I could see all the photos in a slide show, not sure what the iPad uses to see the them.
OpenOffice could see them on Laptop W7
 
Many thanks OM - I achieved the same last night in my Nexus using Quick Office.

I think that, as has been said before and recorded in the Computer Help section, you do not need expensive MS Programs to open many documents there are free alternatives out there.
 
Yeah PowerPoint Viewer works as well!

Maybe possible to edit the file in Open Office (if you wanted to).
 
Hi People

I believe the Rolling Stones stopped at this hotel during The Sixties, can any body else come up with famous or infamous people who have stopped there?

The captain
 
To name a few: Anthony Steele (actor), Charlton Heston (actor), Tommy Cooper (comedian), Freddie Mills (boxer). I know that Betty Hutton stayed there in the 1950's as I have her autograph and a few others as my auntie was Head Receptionist. I think Victor Mature stayed there as well, and maybe Laurel and Hardy when they were on at the Hippodrome.
 
Below is a cutting from 1970 when the hotel closed (though it later reopened)

sale_of_grand_hotelB.jpg
 
Must have seemed very sad at the time to see everything auctioned off in the belief that the hotel would be demolished. But a happier outcome for once. Wonder who won the portable dance floor? Maybe it's still around in some other hotel. A bit of a specialist item, can't imagine many people would have the space to store a portable dance floor! Viv.
 
hi viv
thanks for the memory i am a very rock solid rolling stones fan ever since they first came out and whilst they was at uni ; in darford i have hundreds of pics and there records i bought there ver first release of there very first record they made which was called come on ;
and yes i recall them staying there as well they are the topps and still rocking and i still am a hardned fan and rave about them and my kids still buy items about them for me when any they see any think about them when ever i get depressed it aint often i will stick there music on and it lifts my blues
have a nice day viv . best wishes alan ; astonian;;;
 
Haven't been able to access the Horton's update photos but it's great to see El's photo of the hotel all wrapped up. It will be a great day in Brum when the hotel finally reopens. Can you imagine if it had been demolished? It was a close shave but here we are today and it will be more than worthwhile to see the hotel in operation once again.
 
No problem!

There are various shops open below it on the ground floor. Including a Starbucks (I went to it last week). In a narrow space (but saw photos of Birmingham on the wall!).
 
Hi Ell. When you visited did you get a sense of work actually being carried out on the main building? Although it might be difficult to tell if it was a Sunday. Viv.
 
Wow, Wendy. Some excellent work going on there behind the covers. Re-carving new pieces etc shows these skills are still alive and kicking although I expect some techniques have moved on with newer technology. The photos give a real sense of what a mammoth task this is. And those photos are just of the exterior. Thanks for the link Wendy. Viv.
 
Vivienne14 said:
Hi Ell. When you visited did you get a sense of work actually being carried out on the main building? Although it might be difficult to tell if it was a Sunday. Viv.
Click to expand...

No couldn't see nothing (all hidden behind the white sheets and scaffolding). Was in the churchyard of the cathedral (was heading to Temple Row West as a new plaque has been installed at 3 Temple Row West for Samuel Lines).
 
OK Ell, thanks all the same. From Wendy's link it looks like they're making a lot of progress. Be interesting to know how the interior is progressing too. Viv.
 
Wonder if it will be a four star or five star hotel once completed?

No problem.

In that area people have a Holiday Inn Express in the former Kennedy Tower. And a Premier Inn on Waterloo Street!
 
Thanks Jennyann. Impressive. Amazing that Horton's have invested 3.5 million - an investment they'll never see a return on. And they're restoring an additional facade along Church St (by the same architect, Plevins). So it certainly sounds like a genuine commitment to a high quality restoration. The staircase will be moved to the Church St entrance - which will become the main entrance too - which I suppose is a pity. And there needs to be more lifts installed. But in the circumstances, we can hardly complain given the hotel nearly disappeared altogether. I doubt the predicted summer 2014 completion will be achieved, but iI'm sure it'll be well worth the wait. Viv.
 
jennyann said:
Hi Viv: Here is a site with quite a few photos of how some of the rooms used to look in the Grand Hotel. IMHO the reopening of the Grand Hotel will be a huge event
for the citizens of Birmingham especially those who fought tirelessly to save the building and bring it back to life. https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/restoration-grand-hotel-4692127
Click to expand...
Thanks Jennyann - Very interesting photos and well done Horton Estates. I only went in the Grand Hotel once, it was in the 1950s. A group of us were walking back from ice rink one night and decided to go in the Grand Hotel's American Bar through an entrance in Church St or Barwick St. We ordered whiskies and dry gingers and thought we were very sophistcated, but we had the feeling we were not welcome and soon left.
 
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