The second episode in this second series of ‘Grundy’s Wonders’ produced by Tyne Tees Television and written and presented by architectural historian and broadcaster John Grundy. In this programme John travels across the Northeast and North Yorkshire to find the best and worst hotels from an architectural point of view the region has to offer. Along the way he provides details on the development of today’s hotels beginning with coaching inns and how the railways and holiday resort have...

The second episode in this second series of ‘Grundy’s Wonders’ produced by Tyne Tees Television and written and presented by architectural historian and broadcaster John Grundy. In this programme John travels across the Northeast and North Yorkshire to find the best and worst hotels from an architectural point of view the region has to offer. Along the way he provides details on the development of today’s hotels beginning with coaching inns and how the railways and holiday resort have influenced their growth. An animation of a book with its pages turning revealing different buildings and architectural styles ending on presenter John Grundy holding the programmes title card. Title: Grundy’s Wonders Pulling up outside The Morritt Hotel at Greta Bridge near Barnard Castle in County Durham, presenter John Grundy gets out of his car. As he unloads a case from his boot, he explains that the word hotel comes from the Latin ‘hositalis’ meaning ‘relating to a guest’. Heading inside he talks about his nervousness when staying at hotels before being asked to sign the register by the hotel’s receptionist. Coming into his room he flops down on the bed for a nap explaining there are only two sorts of hotel, one to provide accommodation for travellers the other to provide pleasure and enjoyment. Exterior views of the Georgian hotel with John speaks in voiceover about its origins starting as a coaching inn for travellers on the road between York and Carlisle. As traffic speeds past along the nearby A66 dual-carriageway John comments that the hotel like the Morritt have been left behind as a little fragment of ‘oldy-England’. Also featured is the nearby 18th century bridge crossing over the River Greta followed by a montage of the exterior of the hotel again with John explaining why he likes it. As John comes into the hotel lounge warming himself beside a roaring fire, he passes two male guests sitting on comfy chairs each reading copies of the daily Northern Echo newspaper. In voiceover he talks about the important of such hotels in the age of the horse drawn stagecoach. General views of the Old George public house along Old George Yard off the Cloth Market in Newcastle with John explaining how coaching inns have had to change their roles becoming things like public houses. Standing outside a picturesque house near Wooler in Northumberland John tells the story of a visitor to the property back in the 18th century when it was a coaching inn called The George and Dragon. Returning to The Morritt Hotel and over views of both the interior and exterior, John explains how for those coaching inn who want to remain in business they needed to become adaptable providing amenities not just for passing travellers, but also locals with additions such as ballrooms for local functions. Looking around the back of the White Swan at Alnwick in Northumberland, John makes his way into the Olympic Restaurant to admire the décor which has been furnished with furnishings taken from the ballroom of the SS Olympic, sister ship of the SS Titanic. In the bar area as a waiter brings over a cafetiere for a man sitting at a table John providing details on how coaching inns are still reinventing themselves these days into places to have fun. Returning to John in the Olympic Restaurant he tucks into a plate of a traditional English breakfast. As a GNER Class 91 passenger train pulls into Newcastle Central Station John explains that the beginning of the end for stagecoaches came with the invention of the railways. As passengers and staff wonder around the concourse John talks about how railways opened up a whole new world of travel as well as a whole new world of hotels and similar in purpose to coaching inns but on a whole new scale. Walking from Central Station to the nearby Royal Station Hotel John explains that the oldest railway hotel in England, possibly the world, is in the Northeast as the first long-distance passenger service ran between Newcastle and Carlisle. Heading into the hotel itself John states that size was what the revolution that the railways brough to hotels. He talks about some of the hotels architectural features being built in the Italianate style. Wondering around the opulent interiors John tells a funny story about a civic banquet that was held at the hotel as part of its opening in 1850 by Queen Victoria that ended with Victoria vowing, she would never return to Newcastle. An animation follows of the Royal train passing through Newcastle with the blinds on the royal carriage being drawn. In the small village of Ewart near Wooler in Northumberland what John describes as a ‘surprisingly upmarket farm building’ built by a local landowner in the 1870s as a hotel as he believed the Alnwick to Cornhill railway would be built across his land. It didn’t. A montage of both exterior and interior views of The York Station Hotel described by John as an ‘utterly enjoyable large transport hotel from the middle of the 19th century.’ Standing under the canopy of the hotels entrance with the doorman standing next to him John takes the programme into a commercial break by heading off on a trip to Scarborough. Title: Grundy’s Wonders End of Part One Part Two Filmed at high-speed John comes out of Scarborough railway station making his way along Museum Terrace and onto Scarborough Beach where he gives a history of the town’s development as a resort. A clip from GRUNDY GOES TO THE SEASIDE that features John rushing into the sea at Scarborough wearing only a flesh coloured thong. The sequence is shown as if seen through a pair of binoculars being held by John who is now stranding on the Esplanade looking down on himself on the beach. Putting away the binoculars he provides details on a brand-new breed of specialist hotels that were designed to provide comfort and pleasure for longer staying visitor. Now standing outside The Crown Hotel he explains that this early Victorian hotel is the oldest in the country and the ancestor for hundreds and thousands of resort hotels across Britain. Over views showing both the exterior and interior of the next generation of resort hotels, the Grand Hotel Scarborough, John gives a history of its development explaining why he believes it to be one of the most memorable Victorian buildings in the country. Sitting on a bench beneath it John talks about the big hotels he has visited often looked sad and faded and the challenges for them to sell rooms that are too big for modern tastes and expectations. John provides details on the two reasons why he believes these large hotels have faded and sees what happening to them being similar to coaching inns, they either need to adapt or to close. Following views of the Zetland Hotel at Saltburn-by-the-Sea in the Tees Valley which has been covered into flats, John explains that for those resort hotels that have survived it is because they have embraced the concept of the weekend break. Sitting in a pub with three colleagues from the production crew, John asks them are they weekend breakers? They reply yes with John asking them what they look for in a good hotel? As John tells his colleagues a horror story of having to stay in a ghastly motel near Heathrow Airport, he is intercut with views of an unidentified motorway motel described by John as ‘a vison of corporate Britain at its absolute worst.’ John is asked if it will be crushed under ‘Grundy’s Great Boot of History?’ Screwing up a brochure for the hotel and throwing it onto the floor, an animation of a giant boot coming down and crushing it. Over views of the Copthorne Hotel on the Newcastle Quayside John states that it is hard to find a modern hotel that added to the townscape, however he is positive about the Copthorne which he describes as definitely not bland. Standing in the grounds of Matfen Hall Hotel near Newcastle John talks about another 20th century movement in hotels that he finds interesting, conversions of older buildings into hotels. Over views of both the exterior and interior of the hall John gives history of the building and use up until it became a hotel. As he enters the banqueting hall, he imagines himself in an old Hollywood Robin Hood film. In a lounge he comes and sits beside a large fire explaining that Matfen Hall is like thousands of other buildings around the country that are far to good to be let go, but far to big or far gone to find an easy use for. Because of this he approves of its conversion into a hotel explaining why. Sitting on a bench in the gardens at Matfen Hall, John talks about the challenges he is having coming up with his favourite hotel building but states that he has chosen one on account of its architectural bravery, its modern design and its townscape value. Returning to the Newcastle Quayside views inside and out of Malmaison Newcastle which was originally a warehouse of the Co-operative Wholesale Society of 1899. John explaining why he believes it was fantastically brave of the Tyne and Wear Development Corporation to set about restoring such an off-beat building and to transform it into a hotel. Back outside John explains that the hotel is a centre piece of the revitalised Quayside and this week’s ‘Grundy’s Wonder.’ An animation of a fanfare of trumpets over the following title. Title: Grundy’s Wonders Over the closing credits a montage of some of the hotels featured in the programme. Credit: Written and Presented by John Grundy Camera Mike Parker, Dave Leeder Sound Paul Graham, Gail Westwood Lighting John Mason, John Hayne, Ken Hird Production Assistants Margaret McKie, Eileen Brown Production Manager Christine Stewart-Tilling Graphics Dave Richardson Title Music and Dubbing John Cook Editor Mike Pounder Executive Producer Jane Bolesworth Producer & Director Steve Robins End title: A Tyne Tees Television production. © Tyne Tees Television MMI