Your Special Day

Rowton Hotel145 Alcester Street

BirminghamB12 0PJ

Telephone: 0121 627 0627

Email: meetings@therowtonhotel.comevents@therowtonhotel.com

www.therowtonhotel.com

Should you ask anyone in Birmingham if they know the Rowton Hotel you might come across some confused faces regarding its whereabouts.During the 100 plus years that the building has been standing it has had many different names, such as, The Chamberlain Hotel, The Highgate Hotel, The Paragon and whilst it was the hostel The Rowton House, it would have even be referred to locally as “The old doss house”, a far cry from the building you see today.

The building’s original name, Rowton House is named after the founder Lord Rowton, however Mr Moore-Bailey initiated the “Rowton House Project”.Mr Moore-Bailey was becoming increasingly concerned at the bad condition of working men’s lodging houses in the area and also at the high prices charged for such accommodation.He raised £500.00 and collaborated with nineteen other business-men who also invested £500.00 each in order to build a new and improved hostel.Lord Rowton became involved in the project when interest rose within the business community, and on 6th December 1901 the first development meeting was held.

Many prestigious gentlemen such as The Duke of Marlborough, Lord Windsor, Sir Francis Jeune and Sir Richard Farrent attended the meeting to the delight of Mr Moore-Bailey and with the assistance of Mr Joseph Chamberlain the Rowton House Project Company was formed in 1902.

The building work began under the close supervision of a London Architect, Harry Measure FRIBA, who was most impressed with the location of the site, situated on an acre of land overlooking the impressive Highgate Park, it soon became the most prominent feature in this part of the city.Its red brick exterior and green slate roof are visible for many miles; its architectural character is a magnificent example of Gothic style and has been given a Commendation from the Birmingham Design Council.

Towards the buildings completion, the daughter of Queen Victoria, Her Royal Highness Helena Princess of Schleswig-Holstein contacted Lord Rowton and insisted on putting her name to project.Her interest was due to her affinity with the struggle of the lower classes, she married for love to impoverished German Count Christian Schleswig-Holstein and devoted much of her life to the welfare of the poor.Positioned near the lifts you will see the original presentation stone from HRH Helena.

With over 800 bedrooms, after a hard days labour, a one night stay at Rowton House would have cost 6d this would have provided a separate cubicle with window, furnished with an iron bedstead, horsehair mattress, bolster, blankets, sheets and a quilt.Although spartan, rooms were clean and hygienic, and the entrance hall, library and games room were furnished to the highest standard.

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The dining room was a fine area with seating to accommodate the 800 bedrooms.Breakfast consisted of a choice of liver and bacon, sausage and egg or porridge.The dinner menu offered roast beef or mutton, beef stew, mince and potatoes, sausage and mash or the special dish of the day.Prices were kept to a minimum ensuring a busy evening.

The addition of a Steam Heated Dry room providing a service to dry wet garments free of charge ensured that the Rowton House was a building to be proud of with up to date facilities.

For administration purposes the accommodation for staff was divided into five grades of bedroom; there were Superintendent Apartments, Bed Makers and Staircases Rooms, Catering Staff rooms which included sleeping rooms for the female employees who worked in the shop, kitchen and scullery rooms, lodger’s day rooms and lodger’s cubicles.

After its opening a reporter from The Towns and Country News reviewed the house and made the following comments –

“I came away with a profound respect for Rowton House and the people who run it.The night I stayed there over six hundred other men were staying there as well.The task of amusing them putting them to bed and feeding them is not an easy one”.

Rowton House thrived for the next fifty years but it eventually outgrew its original function and closed in 1989.It was then acquired by two local businessmen Eddie Jefferson and Alan Fitzpatrick.

Together they took on the £2.6million pound refurbishment project of such a unique building.Kendrick’s was the name of the company that had the ominous task of bringing the building into the 21st Century, work began in the Autumn of 1993 to turn the 800 bedroom “Doss House” into a 241 bedroom budget hotel and was renamed the Chamberlain.

With a building such as this, steeped in so much history the decision was made to embrace its heritage and the function suites have names that reflect its history.Joseph Chamberlains house was named Highbury Hall and was located in Moseley, he spent a lot of his time at the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, he had two son’s named Austin and Neville and was of course involved with Sir Richard Farrent one of the original investors.The Smithfield markets still exist nearby and the Baskerville suite is linked to the famous industrialist. English Heritage has listed the building as Grade II, and as per their strict instructions we have eight bedrooms on

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the fifth floor that are dedicated to the original cubicle style.Whist we have included en-suite facilities, televisions a so forth, the Colombian Pine Partitions are much the same as they would have been at the turn of the Century.

In January 2017 the hotels ownership changed to Hotels Management UK Limited and decision was made to re brand and return the name of the Rowton back to its original roots, so it is with pleasure that we now all welcome you to the Rowton Hotel.

The hotel is constantly changing but its history remains the same and will always be remembered as a building of great importance.

A recent renovation and restoration programme, including the exquisite Rowton Suite which can now host parties of 550 and boasts a new carpet, chandeliers, and two bars inside the suite, has been as much about celebrating the grand scale of the building as it is about creating a beautiful new interior.The Suites are not only functional but elegant, making even the most corporate of events a pleasure.We also have smaller suites available too, all located on the ground floor for easy access.

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Our Self-catering package includes:

• Private room hire from 9.00am to 01.00am

• Tables and chairs

• White table linen cloths

• Corkage fee for soft drink

• Fully stocked bar for guests to enjoy

• Stage blocks and dance floor (size 16ft x 8ft) in the main Rowton Suite

• Complimentary bedroom for the bride and groom with full English breakfast on the night of your wedding

• Reception area for welcome drinks

• Crockery and cutlery - one knife, one fork, one tea spoon and one dessert spoon per person, One starter plate, dinner plate and one dessert bowl per person along with white linen napkin and one glass tumbler for water and one for welcome drink

• Special overnight rates for family and friends for any accommodation needs, subject to availability

• Plating room use for caters to serve their food with two warmers

Please note that prices do not include waiting staff

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Nominated Caterers:Johal’s 0121 554 4130

Sanjay Foods 0800 234 6685

Five Rivers 01922 646 164

Additional Services:£5.00 per person corkage fee for own alcohol

£3.30 for chair covers if required

£400.00 DJ – if you choose to supply your own entertainment a valid liability insurance certificate needs to be provided, in date, a minimum of four weeks prior to your celebration along with PAT test results, for every single piece of electrical equipment being used well in advance of the celebration date.

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Payment Plan: £500 non-refundable deposit will be requested at the time of booking to confirm your booking at signed contract stage.

A £500 cash retainer will be required.

This cash retainer will be returned in full, the next working day, following the event date, once the plating kitchen, the suite and all of its facilities have been checked by management to confirm that all are returned back in the same condition they were given in, perfect.

Your caterer must provide their own staff to serve the food and clear the food along with providing their own black bags for when they remove all waste from the venue at the close of your event.

50% of the remaining balance due 3 months before and final balance due 4 weeks prior to your celebration.

Please note external caterers must remove any waste produced.£500 clean up charge will apply if suite and plating kitchen not cleaned and all rubbish not taken before leaving the building.

Staff For Self Catering Packages:The Hotel provides:

• One Duty Manager – the Duty Manager will ensure that the function room, all equipment and your requirements are all ready, as per your function sheet that will have been completed in detail with your co ordinator, to ensure the smooth running of your celebration.

• Two bar staff – the bar staff will dispense the hotel’s bar drinks from the location of the bar throughout the function.

• Please provide notice two days prior to your event regarding delivery of drinks for storage purposes. Responsibility/Liability

• The hotel is not responsible for the delivery, checking in, cleaning, and the return of any equipment.

• All clients are advised to check that all belongings, catering equipment etc.is collected before departure.The hotel accepts no responsibility for any item left either during or after the function.

All rates are inclusive of vat and services the total cost is based on the numbers and rates as of the quotation date and will vary depending on numbers or additional requirements.

Please note, outside caterers will be required to provide valid copies of the following certificates prior to an event contract being raised: public liability insurance, health and safety and food hygiene for the premises where the food will be prepared as well as the certificates for the people who will be preparing the food.

All food must be prepared/cooked in an industrial kitchen and not home premises and must be transported in the correct refrigerated transport.

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