It's almost been 50 years since one Liverpool hotel first opened its doors to the public and from there welcomed a host of celebrities.
Located on Chapel Street in Liverpool city centre, the Atlantic Tower Hotel as it was first known officially opened on May 17, 1973. Designed to look like the bow of a ship, construction on site began in the early 1970s and it is still a familiar landmark on Liverpool's waterfront today.
The £2.8m four-star hotel boasted 226 bedrooms over 12 "decks" and in May 1973, the ECHO reported how manager Michael Hibbert said advance bookings had been going well and he had every confidence that the luxurious latecomer to the city's industry would soon make up for lost time.
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Images, recently unearthed from our archives, Mirrorpix, have been unseen for years and capture the early days of the hotel. One image taken in 1971 shows the hotel under construction as a workman salutes the structure.
In 1974, you can see the exterior of the building as it looked frozen in time and the following year, we see Restaurant manager Giuseppe Belvedere, Head Chief David Slinger, Food and Beverage manager Mike McCarton and Restaurant hostess Pauline Scogings enjoying a meal.
Fast forward to 1983, staff members Val Mifflen, Lynn Welsh and Jim Lane are the Clubcar Carver Restaurant. And in 1985, you can get a glimpse into the Port of Liverpool Suite on the twelfth floor, complete with a king sized bed, drawing room and binoculars.
Many from Liverpool and beyond will have memories of the Atlantic Tower Hotel as it looked here. Or have memories from special occasions and weekend breaks staying there.
Have you ever stayed at this hotel? Let us know in the comments section below.
Back in 2013, ECHO reporter Dawn Collinson heard about the stars and the stories behind the city’s famous hotel. The article reads: "When Shirley Bassey stayed there, it was in one of the luxury suites, £20 a night, Continental breakfast included and a button to draw the curtains.
"Michael Jackson brought his entourage and monkey but didn’t linger overnight and Freddie Mercury packed up in a huff at three in the morning. In the life and times of the Atlantic Tower Thistle Hotel, celebrity anecdotes are in rich supply."
Everyone from Barbra Streisand to Minister for Merseyside Michael Heseltine took up residence. Former night manager Eric Davis worked at the hotel for almost 20 years, starting as a porter in 1977.
He previously told the ECHO: "I’d start at 10pm every night, and go through to 8am – and I’d say total discretion was the key to my job. Although perhaps there was the odd occasion when I wasn’t quite as discreet as usual.
"I remember Queen were staying here and they demanded steak and chips at 3am. I told Freddie Mercury I was very sorry but we couldn’t do that. So they all packed up and left, lock stock and barrel, in the middle of the night."
Other celebrity guests over the years include Neil Sedaka, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Paul O’Grady, Lou Reed, Rowan Atkinson, Cilla Black and Rita Ora.
Eric also loaned Elton John two decks of playing cards at midnight, cabbing one over from a friend because he only had one pack himself. He said: "I asked if he could make sure he gave them back because I’d borrowed one – and there, when I went to collect the breakfast order at 3am, were the two packs, left outside his door."
Gary Bickley, general manager for the hotel’s 20th anniversary in 1993, said whilst many famous faces passed through their doors, it was the staff who made the hotel what it is. He previously said: "We think of the Atlantic Tower as the Grand Dame of Liverpool hotels and I think we have a place in a lot of hearts.
"I really do believe that is because of the people who work here, who are so passionate about the hotel and the city. You can have the most fabulous iconic building, which we do, but it’s the people who count most."
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Manager Alistair Risk also recalled Michael Jackson’s stay in 1988 when he had Bubbles the monkey as his plus-one. Alistair previously said: "Michael Jackson took over a whole floor of the hotel before his Aintree concert.
"He didn’t actually spend the night here, he stayed for a matter of hours and got himself ready for the concert. He really just used an entire floor as his personal dressing room."
For night manager Eric Davis, his experience of American singing superstar Barbra Streisand was rather more stressful. he told the ECHO in 2013: "I heard she was quite demanding with other staff in the hotel, but at night-time she was fine.
"I got a call for her from the States while she was in reception and I remember her thanking me for that and then asking if I could recommend anywhere to go for dinner. One of our duty managers ended up going arm in arm with her to the Oriel Restaurant - he lived on that for months. She stayed in the Regency suite which had two doors, the main lounge and the bedroom, but nobody used the bedroom one so it hadn’t been locked for years."
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The Atlantic Tower has undergone numerous facelifts and investments through the years but remains one of the most well-known hotels in the city. The four-star hotel joined the Mercure brand in October 2015 after the signing of a management contract with Amaris Hospitality Limited.
In 2017, the ECHO reported how Mercure Hotels completed a year-long renovation of the Mercure Liverpool Atlantic Tower hotel., revamping the facilities and decor including The Vista Restaurant and VU Bar and Terrace that both offer views of the Royal Liver Building.
Reflecting the rich heritage that Liverpool has to offer, the main lobby takes inspiration from Liverpool’s dock and includes a feature wall made of driftwood and uses blue, brown and green hues of the Mersey. Suites also offer a luxury of panoramic views.
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