Wednesday 25 May 2011

Let's Halt Awhile, Hallam Tower and Grosvenor House Hotels


The following photograph and text are taken from Ashley Courtenay's Let's Halt Awhile (34th Edition, 1967).

Sheffield, Yorkshire—Grosvenor House Hotel and Hallam Tower. These two imposing blocks occupy magnificent sites; the former in the city centre, the other high up on the outskirts of Sheffield. Both complement each other in that they provide accommodation with different characteristics: for example, Grosvenor House has several suites with fine views over the city and larger facilities for banqueting, while Hallam Towers has the advantage of an open situation on the way out to Dovedale.
Both hotels, however, offer a wide choice for the businessman who wishes to stay in Sheffield and for organisers of local functions and conferences. There are banqueting suites in both, with full conference facilities, and, in addition, Grosvenor House has smaller rooms available for private lunch and dinner parties.
Apart from the business aspect, though, these hotels are ideal centres for the weekend motorist: the Peak District and the Yorkshire Moors are easily reached on daily excursions. Many of these visitors will appreciate the Sheffield Plate—a quick-service buttery—at the Hallam Tower and the £1 a day tariff reduction at weekends.
Whatever your tastes or your pocket, either Grosvenor House or the Hallam Tower will provide you with accommodation, food and service to suit. (See Map X.) (See illustration p. 103.)
GROSVENOR HOUSE: F.Lic. Apartments: 99/6. Bk. 61— to 10/6. L. from 23/—. A.T. 51— D. from 28/6. 10 %S. Rms: 62 dbl. 42 sgl. (c.h.). Priv. Bath: 104. Lt. G. T.V. Tel. (OSH2) 20041.
HALLAM TOWER: F.Lic. Apartments 84/—. Bk. 51— to 8/6. L. from 15/6. D. from 18/6. 10%S. Rms: 68 dbl. 68 sgl. (c.h.). Priv. Bath: 136. Lt. T.V. Tel. (OSH2) 66031.
London 160. Chesterfield 12. Doncaster 18. Leeds 33. Manchester 38.


Tuesday 17 May 2011

Hallam Tower Hotel, Sheffield


The five diamond Hallam Tower Hotel was constructed between 1963 and 1965 costing one million pound. It opened officially on 24th March 1965 and was the first luxury hotel to be built in the north of England since the Second World War. The chief architect was Nelson Foley of Trust House Architectural Department.

The exterior was designed to complement Sheffield’s post-war modernist developments; the interior by Colefax and Fowler of Mayfair offered “warm, gay colours” to contrast with “the black and grey tones of the city” and the first-class conference facilities supported the city’s bid to become a conference centre.


The following snippets of text are taken from the original Press Release (16th March 1965).


Entrance Lounge 'Sunny yellow stairwell. Bright green carpet'

Vulcan Room Restaurant 'Tones of orange, yellow, pale wrapping paper brown and sour green, the walls yellow the carpet green.'

Downstairs Bar 'A dark intimate room with a club-like atmosphere enlivened by turquoise blue upholstery. Dark lincrusta walls. 18th century Horgarth engravings. Silver Trimmings.'

Sheffield Plate Grill 'Here the open plan ends and a completely contrasting colour rendering is achieved by use of pink, red, black and white. The wall decorations consist of a series of Sheffield trade signs, none of them later than 1910 and most of them mid-19th century.'




(All paintings by John Worsley c. 1964.)