Central Hotel (Glasgow)
Encyclopedia
The Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow (usually known by locals by its original name the Central Hotel) is a large 4-star hotel
in the centre of Glasgow
, Scotland
.
The hotel forms the front of the Glasgow Central
railway station on Gordon Street, directly adjoining onto the station concourse. It was one of Glasgow's most prestigious hotels in its heyday, hosting residents as famous as Frank Sinatra
and Winston Churchill
.
It was originally designed by Robert Rowand Anderson
, in 'Queen Anne style
'; he also furnished the public rooms. The hotel was completed in 1883, but was extended along with the station in 1901–1906. The hotel extension was designed by James Miller
and it opened on 15 April 1907. The world's first long-distance television pictures were transmitted to the Central Hotel in the station, on 24 May 1927 by John Logie Baird
.
The hotel was sold by British Rail
in the 1980s, and passed through the hands of various private operators until The Real Hotel Company plc
was forced into administration in February 2009, and the hotel subsequently closed amid concerns of asbestos
contamination and structural deterioration.
In June 2009, it was revealed that Principal Hayley Group
had acquired the hotel, with plans to refurbish and rebrand it as the Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow. The hotel re-opened on the 9th September 2010. Together with the rest of Glasgow Central railway station, the hotel is protected as a category A listed building.
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
in the centre of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
The hotel forms the front of the Glasgow Central
Glasgow Central
Glasgow Central has more than one meaning:*Glasgow Central railway station, a railway station in Glasgow, Scotland*Glasgow Central , a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, from 1885 to 1997 and from 2005 to present...
railway station on Gordon Street, directly adjoining onto the station concourse. It was one of Glasgow's most prestigious hotels in its heyday, hosting residents as famous as Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
and Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
.
It was originally designed by Robert Rowand Anderson
Robert Rowand Anderson
Sir Robert Rowand Anderson RSA was a Scottish Victorian architect. Anderson trained in the office of George Gilbert Scott in London before setting up his own practice in Edinburgh in 1860. During the 1860s his main work was small churches in the 'First Pointed' style that is characteristic of...
, in 'Queen Anne style
Queen Anne Style architecture
The Queen Anne Style in Britain means either the English Baroque architectural style roughly of the reign of Queen Anne , or a revived form that was popular in the last quarter of the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century...
'; he also furnished the public rooms. The hotel was completed in 1883, but was extended along with the station in 1901–1906. The hotel extension was designed by James Miller
James Miller (architect)
James Miller was a Scottish architect and artist. He is noted for his many buildings in Glasgow and for his Scottish railway stations. Among these are the heavily American-influenced Union Bank building at 110-20 St Vincent Street; his 1901-1905 extensions to Glasgow Central railway station; and...
and it opened on 15 April 1907. The world's first long-distance television pictures were transmitted to the Central Hotel in the station, on 24 May 1927 by John Logie Baird
John Logie Baird
John Logie Baird FRSE was a Scottish engineer and inventor of the world's first practical, publicly demonstrated television system, and also the world's first fully electronic colour television tube...
.
The hotel was sold by British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
in the 1980s, and passed through the hands of various private operators until The Real Hotel Company plc
The Real Hotel Company plc
The Real Hotel Company, whose origin fates back to 1877, owned, leased and managed over 55 hotels with almost 5,000 bedrooms throughout the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Belgium until its financial collapse in 2009. It focused both at the premium limited service and at the full service...
was forced into administration in February 2009, and the hotel subsequently closed amid concerns of asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
contamination and structural deterioration.
In June 2009, it was revealed that Principal Hayley Group
Principal Hayley Group
Principal Hayley Group is a Harrogate, North Yorkshire based hotel and conference venue operator.Formed from a management buyout of a basic 6 hotel group in 2006, backed by Private Equity firm Permira, the company presently operates 25 locations, mainly in the UK...
had acquired the hotel, with plans to refurbish and rebrand it as the Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow. The hotel re-opened on the 9th September 2010. Together with the rest of Glasgow Central railway station, the hotel is protected as a category A listed building.