Just as I bemoan the lack of vintage-y things to blog about, along comes a glut of stories and suddenly I have some more ideas for posts.
To start with is this splendid news about the reopening of the former Midland Grand Hotel that forms part of the new St Pancras International railway station, which itself underwent a massive restoration a few years ago and is a wonderful British success story, managing to retain its Victorian grandeur and history while at the same time serving the modern traveller and adding the futuristic HS1 Eurostar trains to its stable.
The Midland Grand, now renamed the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, has only just finished being renovated and - as this report indicates - is ready for opening (which will officially take place in April). A great deal of time and money has gone into returning the place to its former glory and its certainly been worth it! The interior is simply stunning and, like the rest of the redevelopment, successfully mixes old and new styles to provide the last word in comfort for the weary (and well-heeled) traveller.
It's a shock to realise just how far Dr Beeching was prepared to take his cuts and what a deplorable attitude there was towards Victorian architecture in the 1960s, amid the vogue for Brutalism and Modernism. To even have considered demolishing such a beautiful building seems like anathema to us today as we have, I think, come to appreciate our architectural history. Many 19th Century buildings were lost during the height of Sixties Mondernism, but thankfully the Midland Grand was spared destruction and will now enjoy a new lease of life as it sits adjacent to St Pancras International, for us all to enjoy looking at.
This is such a fabulous building, there is a great painting by John O'Connor in its heyday, it completely dominated the local skyline
ReplyDeletehttp://goldenagepaintings.blogspot.com/2008/06/john-oconnor.html
Lovely!
ReplyDeleteYou want to see if you can blag a press invite to the opening ;)