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Grand Hotel Colmore Row

ellbrown said:
Having seen the Hidden Spaces photos of the Scala cinema, I'm hoping something happens to that (either restore it and give it a use, or knock Scala House down and redevelop it).

How could it just be abandoned like a time capsule since 1988?
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hi ell....i thought the scala cinema was demolished many years ago...im on about the one that was in smallbrook st...

lyn
 
I think Horton Estates are to be congratulated on taking on such a project. What can be seen so far looks amazing. I am sure the founder Isaac Horton would approve from his resting place in Key Hill Cemetery!
 
Wendy said:
I think Horton Estates are to be congratulated on taking on such a project. What can be seen so far looks amazing. I am sure the founder Isaac Horton would approve from his resting place in Key Hill Cemetery!
Click to expand...

Lets not forget that Horton Estates wanted to demolish the building and replace it with a new build, and that is why it stood unused for many years, and it was only when it started to become a danger to the public that the decision was taken to renovate the building.
 
thats a good point phil...we are so lucky that we still have the building it would have been tragic to lose it....i would not mind a look inside when its finished...

lyn
 
I recently went on a guided tour of the GRAND HOTEL to see restoration work being carried out on the Victorian facade of the building and the present state of part of the inside, including the well known Grosvenor ballroom. These images include a look over the new roof on the Church St. side and other rooftop working scenes. The assembly of scaffolding on the inside open area and the base of the crane, not seen from any street view. Stonemasons at work cutting new stones, repairing original limestone building decorations, resetting them in their original location and sanding, of which all these operations are carried out by hand. It is estimated that full restoration of the outside of the building will not be completed before the end of 2017. More images will follow this post. Allan





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alan what fantastic photos you have taken...looking at them we can see just how much restoration work needs to be done..the ballroom will look stunning when it is finished..it really gladens my heart to see one of our wonderful buildings being restored instead of demolished...well done for gaining permission to take these photos especially the indoor ones as i have never seen the inside of the hotel..

many thanks

lyn
 
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Thanks Alan. Some wonderful features in your photos. Lovely work being done by the stonemasons. Viv.
 
Hi Alan. Can you tell us please what the uncovered area is/was shown in post #183, fourth photo and in post #184 second photo? I presume this was once a roofed area but do you know what this area was in relation to the hotel? Viv.
 
Hello VIVIENNE, the areas in the posts you mention that are open to the elements are the level below the former roof area now removed and show work in progress for construction of the new one. A system for waterproofing is installed at the next level below this one to stop rainwater cascading down to the other parts of the building. Hope this helps with your query. Allan
 
Oh I see Alan. Yes that's very helpful. So the original roof covered this level. Thanks. Viv.
 
Hi I remember doing a Touch Typing Course in the 60s at the Grand Hotel ,I thought a very posh place, did anybody else out there do this course ?, would be nice to hear off anyone . Acer
 
Hi Acer. Be great if we could hear from anyone else who was on your typing course.

Meanwhile here's the Stones taking a break in the Grand dining room in May 1964. Given how unconventional they were at the time, you do wonder what must have gone through their minds about the Hotel! See Brian Jones was the first to get his soup. Viv.

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Back in 1957 I worked for the Britannic Assurance in Broad Street, we had our annual Dinner Dances at the Grand Hotelan amazing experience for one so young, I was 18 at the time. I wonder if there is anybody out there who worked for the Britannic and remembers these dances.
 
Hi Katie. I worked for Britannic (HQ) for a short while at Moor Green, Moseley. This was in the 70s. Don't remember any events at the Grand so it's nice to hear that they did this sort of thing. The Britannic terms and conditions were very good, so I'm not surprised they treated their staff to such an impressive event in the 50s. Viv.
 
Photo I took of the Grand Hotel yesterday on Easter Monday (thread was unsubscribed after whatever happened to the forum over the Easter weekend).

Seen from the grounds of St Philip's Cathedral (while the bells were ringing).

 
WHAT IS THAT GREAT UGLY MONSTROSITY BEHIND IT?

It looks like some deformed structure that a mentally ill architect decided to add extra bits to. Please, please, don't tell me that it is part of the new Grand Hotel. Certainly not in keeping with the graceful lines of the Grand Hotel., as I remember it.
Eddie
 
It looks terrible Eddie. Hopefully Ell has got a stray image blended on the negative. I'm getting very depressed about how the structure will turn out now.
 
Glad you agree, Ritchie,

It looks some coal bunkering housing that was once seen in the railway shed motive power depots. But then, I am probably doing the coal bunkering structure an injustice!!!

Eddie
 
NatWest Tower - 103 Colmore Row. Might get demolished in the future. It is what I saw from the top of Steelhouse Lane (unrelated to the Grand Hotel).
The new owners have plans to knock it down and build a new modern tower behind (temp plans were to put a square on the footprint of the ex NatWest Tower).

One of John Madin's "masterpieces".

(It's digital not a negative film - that's the way it was)
 
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