Proposed Piccadilly Hotel Piccadilly Manchester

By a letter dated 28 June 1882, Clegg and Knowles were appointed architects to a proposed limited liability company set up to create a new hotel in Piccadilly, incorporating the pre-existing Waterloo and Clarence Hotels. The scheme does not appear to have progressed with the directories for 1903 still listing the two original hotels. However, the abridged prospectus published in the Manchester Guardian in September 1882 provides some indication of the intended scheme:

It is proposed by the Company to purchase or otherwise acquire the Waterloo and Clarence Hotels situate in Piccadilly, Manchester, with their respective sites and the furniture, fitting etc. therein; also a plot of land immediately adjoining, containing about 1080 square yards and bounded by Chatham-street, Hope-street and New Grosvenor-street, and to build thereon, and to unite the whole in one grand block to be called the Piccadilly Hotel.  The plans for a new building have been prepared by Messrs Clegg and Knowles, who have fully considered the requirements for a Modern First-class Hotel .... There will be a magnificent banqueting hall, capable of seating 300 guests, billiard rooms, large coffee rooms, ladies drawing room, reading and writing room, about 180 bedrooms, 20 stockrooms, private dining rooms, hairdressing room, lavatories, bathrooms with Russian and Turkish baths, a restaurant and a wholesale wine and cigar department. An efficient laundry will be attached.

Reference           Manchester Guardian Saturday 2 September 1882 Page 1(prospectus)