What was making the Sunderland headlines in 1974?

It serves as a great reminder of what happened in a specific month in Wearside’s history.

And to give you a flavour of what is coming up this weekend, watch out for a photograph showing the last days of the Grand Hotel in Sunderland.

The shot of the hotel’s interior was taken just before it was demolished in February 1974.

But here are some more reminders of the hotel and what it looked like.

These images from 1974 clearly show workmen preparing the site – which had stood empty since 1969 – for demolition.

It had once been one of Sunderland’s premier hotels before its demise and had become more and more derelict since it closed.

Our shots show everything from the structure being dismantled to views of the abandoned reception area.

The Bridge Street venue first opened for business in 1888 and was filled with mosaic floors, oak staircases, stained-glass windows, plush carpets and marble pillars.

The five-storey building enjoyed a long and illustrious career and many rich and famous people stayed in its 50 rooms.

It was also said to have hosted important meetings of Sunderland AFC at times.

Prime Minister Harold Macmillan and writer JB Priestley were among the guests.

It was well known that stars who were appearing at the Empire theatre would often stay at the Grand Hotel. Perhaps the most famous were The Beatles.

It was just as adept at hosting a wedding reception or other equally glamorous occasion.

Was it impressive. Well, a Sunderland Echo reporter thought so when they were invited to take a look for themselves in 1888.

They wrote: “The term ‘grand’, so frequently misapplied, is an expressive and accurate one to use when speaking of the elaborate hotel Mr Jackson has had erected for him.

“It is undoubtedly the most artistic and imposing erection in the town, and even within the northern counties there are few structures of the kind to compare with it.”

It was the culmination of building work which had started in the summer of 1886, by Sunderland firm D and J Ranken.

All the interior decorations – such as wood and glass – were sourced from around the world.

The overawed Echo reporter added: “On the first floor is the smoke room, a long and splendidly fitted-up apartment, where lovers of the fragrant weed can sit in ease and comfort.

“Just a few steps away is the commercial room, with splendid Axminster carpets covering the floor and oak chairs monogrammed with the hotel’s golden emblem.

“However, it is the dining room which is the finest feature.”

The reporter added: “The ceiling is a superb piece of work and the walls are covered in richly-carved oak, inlaid with mirrors.

“In the centre is a marble pillar with an octagonal oak table round it – used as a sideboard. Altogether, it is one of the finest dining halls to be met with anywhere.”

It had all the mod cons of the time. A billiard room, 20 bedrooms with lavatories on every landing, a coffee room, boot cleaning room and modern kitchens.

A three-course dinner was nine shillings per person – and that was more than half the weekly wage of the Sunderland shipbuilders at the time.

It flourished and was the place to be for decades.

But all good things come to an end and the Grand began to suffer in the 1960s before it finally closed in January 1969.

In June 1971 the hotel was put up for auction for £20,000, but it was withdrawn when there were no bids.

Attempts to auction it failed to find a buyer and demolition happened 44 years ago this month.

For more news from Sunderland and Wearside in February 1974, see this Saturday’s Retro column. And to share your memories, email [email protected]