Name of Hotel at the bottom of New Street 1980s (Atari Computer Launch)

[gary_m_walton]

Hi all, I remember going to a hotel at the bottom of New Street, pretty much opposite The Rotunda, in around 1980. I recall large stairs going up to the main entrance. It was there that I first saw those new fangled Atari Computers as Atari were giving launch previews around the country and Birmingham's was at this location.


I'm trying to find out:
a) The name of the hotel and
b) Whether anyone remembers the date this one-off event happened. I'd really love to know.


Anyone any ideas?


Many thanks


Gary

[Spud]

The only Hotel matching your description of being opposite the Rotunda  in New St would be the Brittania which is housed in the old Marshall and Snelgrove Building. However the entrance is in Union Passage but is hardly imposing and I cannot  recall a large staircase.
The only other Hotel in New St would be the old Midland [now the Macdonald Burlington] . Entrance is from Burlington Passage just off New St and was a fairly imposing building in its day. Can't help you with the Atari launch.

[gary_m_walton]

Hi Spud, many thanks for your reply. I'll check those two hotels out. It was a long time ago and memory has a habit of playing tricks but it did seem to be by the Rotunda. If you can think of any other hotels in the area, would be appreciated. Kind Regards, Gary
 

[Phil]

Garry

I don't think the Britannia was called that in the 80's it might still have been called the Magnum or something similar to that then. This is a photo of the staircase in the Britannia now, of course the hotel could have been renovated since the 80's.

[gary_m_walton]

Hi Phil,


Many thanks for your reply. No, the stairs were definitely outside. I can see them in my mind and they lead up to the main entrance. It's been driving me mad for years and it's only now Iv'e decided to try and discover the hotel and date! I thought that, perhaps,  if I could get hold of a map from that era, it may help if it had places on it. Anyway, your reply is very much appreciated.


Regards, Gary

[planetmalc]

The former Virgin Megastore (next to the Pavilions Shopping Centre) is opposite both the Rotunda and the bottom of New Street, and has a wide outside staircase leading up to it, but I can't remember when it was built.    It may have been a hotel before it was a Virgin store.

[Spud]

The Virgin Megastore in the Pavillions has long gone it is now H & M . I am sure there was never a hotel on this site.

[Spud]

Regarding The Brittania Hotel in New Street up until 1994 it was called the Birmingham International.
I think that Gary is probably referring to the old Midland Hotel

[planetmalc]

The Virgin Megastore in the Pavillions has long gone it is now H & M . I am sure there was never a hotel on this site.

 
How about the Times Furnishing building next door?    It had a flight of steps across its frontage (the entrance/exit to a subway) and could have been hired out to stage the Atari launch.     I never went in there (ineligible  -  I come from Small Heath! )  -  but it probably had a carpeted floor and some of the furniture display may have been re-arranged to give a hotel-like appearance.

[Phil]

The only other hotel I can think of at the bottom of New Street was the Arden Hotel next to the Odeon, but I'm pretty sure that was gone by the eighties.

[gary_m_walton]

Hi Phil and PlanetMac,


Thanks for the replies again. Well, I always thought is was close to The Rotunda - but you are right about the steps for the Times Furnishing. I believe that is now Waterstones. Wasn't it Hudsons bookshop or was that further up? Anyway, that was the sort of thing I was thinking of. It was over 30 years ago! I bought my Atari Computer in August 1981 (I have the receipt!) so I know it would be prior to then. The only thoughts I had were that redevelopment had changed that part of the area. I wonder what was in the Phones-4-U shop in around 1980?


The only things I'm sure about are the stairs and New Street. Not much to go on, I know!!!!!


Anyway, if you do have any light-bulb moments, please pop me a reply. Other than that, I really need some clear pictures of that area from 1980/1. Believe me I've tried to find them with no joy.


Thanks both of you for your help. It is very much appreciated and I will keep on searching


Kind Regards


Gary