The Midland

Since opening its doors in June The Midland in Morecambe has caused quite a stir. Not only has the venue attracted the attention of the media, providing the location for the BBC’s Culture Show in July as well as generating countless reviews, but it has obviously caught the imagination of the general public too. On its opening day, which was intended to be a soft launch, over 3,000 people queued around the block to see the new hotel, and rooms are completely booked up until late autumn (at the last count). So it was with great interest that Sleeper visited the site beside the sea to find out what all the fuss is about.

Travelling along the coast road, past the faded souvenir shops and cafés of Morecambe, The Midland cuts a striking figure at the end of the promenade. The shimmering white, art deco building, designed by architect Oliver Hill, originally opened in the 1930s and was said to be the first modernist building of its kind in the UK. In its heyday the standalone hotel attracted visitors from all over the world, including celebrities of the time such as Coco Chanel and Noel Coward. Since then the site has had mixed fortunes, struggling to get back on its feet after being requisitioned as a military hospital during the Second World War, before coming into its own again in the 1960s and 70s as Morecambe thrived as a holiday destination, and finally falling into disrepair during the late 80s and 90s. Having lain empty for almost a decade it was North West property developers Urban Splash, with help from English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund, amongst others, who finally came to the rescue, purchasing the building in 2003.

Having worked for many successful years as residential developers, regenerating buildings primarily in the north of England, and more recently the rest of the UK, the hotel is the first project of its kind for Urban Splash. It will not be the last, however, as we are told we can expect to see the company develop its line of hotels in the future. The flagship renovation of the Grade II listed Midland is quite an opener and a project close to the company’s heart, as Chief Executive of Urban Splash Jonathan Falkingham, explains: “I, along with other of my Urban Splash colleagues, had visited the hotel many times in the past and it held a dear place in our hearts. So when Bryan Gray, chairman of Northwest Regional Development Agency asked us to take a look at the hotel to see if there was anything we could do, we jumped at the chance.”

Urban Splash, along with architects and interior designers on the project Union North, were not only passionate about the project, but also had a very strong sense of the direction the hotel should take from the outset. Keen to preserve the existing features of the venue and create what Jonathan Falkingham calls a “clear reading” of the hotel, the team were also mindful that the concept must function as a modern, working hotel.
Miles Falkingham, Director of Union North, continues:

“We were very clear on how the project should go, and that we had to maintain a careful balance between rescue and renovation. We worked very closely with restorative architectural consultants Avanti Architects, who have a lot of experience working with Oliver Hill buildings, and with them set the conservation priorities out so we could then work on the commercial function of the building. Although we were keen to put the original character back in to the site we also did not want to create a pastiche or a museum, but a forward looking hotel that will operate for years to come.”

The main lobby, with its labyrinth-style circular staircase and feature stone floor is where much of the restorative work has taken place, with the circular space now providing a suitably glamorous introduction to the hotel. Other conservation priorities included rescuing the original collection of sculptures and artwork by Eric Gill installed in the public areas, as well giving the building its shimmering white exterior back following the years of neglect. A new third floor extension has been added at the top of the building, housing six new rooftop suites, while the 1970s sun lounge has been reinstated and now plays host to a stunning restaurant with views out over the Bay. Meanwhile the sweeping circular Rotunda bar has been brought back to life, operating as a standalone café bar with its own entrance directly aimed at visitors enjoying a promenade along the front.

The interior scheme by Union North references the heritage of the site, reintroducing some of the original colours used in the first designs. However it also makes some bold, contemporary moves too. The bedrooms, for example, are based around a bespoke modular unit in dark wood, which houses everything from the wardrobe and desk to the mini bar and safe, as well as the winged panels acting as an integral door to the bathroom. Key to the whole scheme is the collection of ultra modern chairs, which can be seen throughout the hotel. Union North worked closely with partners Ferrious in order to furnish the venue with 50 of the most stylish seats, and so the hotel is littered with a series of stunning statement pieces, from the chairs in the bedrooms, to the not-too-practical but oh-so-beautiful concept chairs on the landings, and the much talked about ‘Ear’ chairs in the lobby. “We wanted to create a 21st Century chair collection,” says Falkingham, “and spent months testing and discussing which chairs should go into the hotel. I think we have created a unique set of outstanding chairs, all of which we consider to be design classics of the future.”

In days gone by The Midland attracted both attention and business to the area. With its new, sympathetic yet contemporary design scheme and fully modernised operation, the hotel may once again become a catalyst for change in its hometown. And while The Midland is currently attracting much attention from locals and older clients who have a sentimental attachment to the place, the forward-looking hotel will also continue to appeal to a new breed of visitor, gaining the affections of new customers for generations to come.

Midland Hotel
Marine Road West
Morecambe
LA4 4BU
Tel: 01524 424000
www.midlandmorecambe.co.uk

Rooms:    50 guestrooms inc. 6 suites
Food:    The Restaurant, Rotunda Terrace Café
Drink:    The Bar & Lounge
Leisure:    Spa
Facilities:    4 Meeting Rooms

Words: Caroline Shaw

Photography courtesy of Staniforth