Hotel Metropole. Morecambe

HOTEL METROPOLE., MORECAMBE - SELECTED DESIGN. This design by Messrs Mangnall and Littlewoods of Manchester, was selected for the first prize in the public competition held recently, Messrs Harrison, Hall and Mooore, architects, of Preston, acting as the assessors. The site for the hotel is at the extreme west end of Morecambe, and is bounded on its two sides by the sea front and the side promenade. The lodging houses are principally facing Heysham-road, which is to the back of the plot, and Sefton-road which runs along its right-hand side. The two refreshment bars are placed at either corner of Heysham-road. All the principal rooms for visitors, together with the main entrance to the hotel, face the sea; the public portion of the hotel is situated opposite the side promenade, and is approached by a separate entrance; there are also to this side entrances for visitors, arrival and departure. These doorways are controlled by the manager’s office and clerks’ bureau. The ground floor accommodation includes a drawing-room, reading and writing room, sitting room, and dining room for private parties; a recreation room with the attending stage and retiring rooms. The coffee room and dining room are situated to the right-hand side of the front, and some of the principal administrative rooms in connection with it are placed on the ground floor, to expedite service and to insure better supervision. These include manager’s directing room, service room, china cleaning and store room, plate store and strong room, wine dispensing room and the service staircase. Directly in the centre of the front is the grand hall, which contains porter’s room, telephone room and lift. Between this and the grand staircase is the promenade corridor, which would be much appreciated in inclement weather. At the back of the grand staircase is the palm house and smoking lounge. The public portion of the hotel is kept entirely distinct and contains a large smoke room and billiard-room for two tables. The basement contains all the necessary kitchens, store-rooms, and larders, laundry, etc. and a boiler-house and engine room for the generation of electric light etc. There are also a barber’s shop and cycle room. There are 150 bedrooms, 8 sitting rooms, and bedrooms for servants in the hotel, 107 of which either face the sea or the side promenade. Provision is made for housemaids’ room, service room, lavatory etc. On the top floor is a photographic printing room and two dark rooms for visitors. The hotel is designed in the English 17^th century Renaissance, and it is proposed to construct the principal elevations in buff and red terra cotta, the cost being about £30,000.

Reference    Building News 17 September 1897 Page 399 and illustration
Reference    Builder LXXIII Page 71