The Sunderland hotel which hosted the stars and how it almost became a city centre ski slope
Few hotels would make the headlines as much 50 years ago than this one in Sunderland.
The Grand Hotel was either famous for the people who stayed there or the controversy which surrounded its demise years later.
Fab Four, Macmillan and Shapiro
Harold Macmillan stayed there when he was Prime Minister and the Beatles are said to have been guests while they played in Sunderland.
Singing sensation Helen Shapiro was another guest and so was TV presenter Hughie Green but the venue in Bridge Street was soon grabbing headlines for a different reason.
It closed in 1969 and was demolished years later.
But before it was bulldozed, numerous options were considered. One was a showroom with shops, showrooms and offices in the day as well as a pub and nightclub. The other would be an entertainment centre with ski slopes.
Supermarket suggestions in the 1970s
Even after the building was gone, the site was still making the news.
One Sunderland Echo report from 1979 said: “Where the rich and famous once wined and dined, Sunderland housewives may soon be queueing with their groceries.
“At last the Borough Council seems to have found a development for the old Grand Hotel site – a 50,000 sq ft supermarket.”
However, the site would later become offices in Sunderland.
Tell us if you remember the Grand Hotel. Email [email protected]
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