Grand Hotel / Royal Marine, Union Terrace, New Brighton. This hotel dates back to the mid 1800's but was demolished in the 2000's, before realistic plans for New Brighton became a reality. There is now a gap where it once stood, which is used as a car park, between the Queens Royal and Bobbys Bar (now the Portofini Italiana). We would call it part of Union Terrace, on Marine Promenade nowadays, but the original building predates this name and before the promenade was built, it was refered to being on 'The Shore' or 'The Strand'. Records and information from 1857 and 1883 refer to it as The Marine Hotel, but by 1902 and 1910 (see advert below) it had become The Royal Marine in the hands of John Owen. Sometime later it became The Grand, and this is what most people remember it as. For some reason it has not had its own entry, but you can read more about it in the Chat area, which is where I have borrowed the picture, below.
It appears that it was extensivelt re-modelled in the 1940's leading to a 'grand' re-opening and re-christening by the actress Mae West in 1947.
The following etract from Mae Wests blog page has its origins with the Liverpool Echo.
"In Great Britain, an historic seaside hotel visited by Hollywood film stars - - and personally re-christened by Mae West in 1947 after a major renovation - - has been demolished despite campaigners attempts to save it. An article in the Liverpool Echo pictured Mae West during her 1947 British tour, and made no mention of any other notables associated with this landmark except for our beloved American actress. Nice to see such respect for Mae, still one of a kind. The article is excerpted below. • • New Brighton's Grand Hotel was built in the 1850s, and when it was revamped in the 20th century it was given a glitzy reopening by film icon Mae West. • • In its heydey the Grand was just that. It was one of the most popular and glamorous hotels in the area attracting visitors from all over the country. At cocktail hour a pianist would serenade guests from a revolving turntable, while later there was a Spanish restaurant where dinner dances were held nightly. In 1953 an advert for the hotel read: "Boldly situated on the broad seafront and commanding magnificent views of the ever changing panorama of river and sea... an hotel of infinite charm, supreme comfort and personality." But with the decline in popularity of New Brighton, the hotel became a nightclub and then, for the last 15 years, had been derelict and an eyesore. ... • • • When Mae came to Merseyside • • • • • HOLLYWOOD siren Mae West is not someone you would expect to see on a wet weekend in Merseyside. But the star was in Liverpool in 1947 to perform the play she wrote herself, Diamond Lil, at the Liverpool Empire. Billed as a "World-famous comedy melodrama of the gay Nineties" it played in the city for two weeks in November, and was revived three times on Broadway. ... • • excerpt from: "Life of grand old building is brought to a sorry end" • • By Homa Khaleeli, Liverpool Echo, 15 March 2006"
By looking a a sucession of OS maps, there is no real change to the position or outline of the main building. The glass roofed extension to the right (west) end gains a permanent roof and the front steps go fron a straight flight to having steps to the left and right in a T shape for a number of years, reverting to a straigh flight again sometime later.
Also, just noticed that Elvis Costell and The Attractions played there 0n 23rd September 1978.
the band I was in (xs baggage) supported elvis Costello that night. it was a great night the grand was packed. didn't get out of there till the early hours
I was on the roof in 1971. There was a roof top terrace with a small building which had a bar hatch. Apparently this had been instituted following the big re vamp but had not been used for at least ten years when I saw it. The area was littered with rotting deckchairs. When it was the Marine Hotel (until fairly recently there was a gatepost on the Wellington Road side which bore that name, I do not know if it is still there) about 1915 it nearly lost the licence because of youths 'as young as 15' acquiring alcohol and grouping in large numbers and causing anti social problems.
I used to work in the Grand in its night club hey days when it was packed to the rafters with over 18's dancing to the latest hits! Drinkers were treated to cocktails like tequila sunrise and blue lagoons and in the "in crowd" drank the American bottled beer Shlitz! It was seen to be more sophisticated than the Chelsea reach and definitely better than the Penny Farthing!.. Truth be known they were all as bad as each other..in my opinion the best place to go was The Empress in Victoria Road!
Last edited by Susan; 15th Sep 201512:18pm.
Live,laugh,love,time passes far too quickly for regrets!
I remember the Grand Hotel had a Cocktail Lounge in the basement, think it was called The Spanish Garden. They had a pianist there in the lounge who used to get drunk so much so he kept falling off his stool. Very amusing.
Great picture thank you. I remember going there for Sunday Lunch with my parents around the time this picture was taken. It was still 'Grand' then and the music system was playing Spanish Eyes.
