South West

May news round-up, events & AGM

Mayflower Hotel mural
The dismantling of the Quality Hotel on Plymouth Hoe started this month, with demolition scheduled for July. Its removal from the Plymouth skyline will no doubt be a relief to many, but in its heyday the hotel – originally known as the Mayflower Hotel – had some great interiors.

Of note, and in the news recently, was a sculpted mural of the Pilgrim Fathers leaving Plymouth for America. Titled Mayflower 350 and thought to be by American artist Bernard Gribble, the mural was unveiled in 1970.

The hotel closed in 2014 and all of its contents sold off. Local businessmen Ben and Mark Hinchcliffe bought the mural, and in a recent article in the Plymouth Herald stated that they would like it to be shown in a public building in the city, perhaps as part of the Mayflower 400 celebrations.

Do you know anything more about the artist or the commissioning of the mural? Are there any other mid-century murals in the city?

Images of the Mayflower Hotel, and its very 1970s interiors, can be viewed on the RIBApix website.

Plymouth School of Creative Arts wins RIBA SW award
‘The Red House’, designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley and opened in 2015, was shortlisted in the final six for the prestigious international Architects’ Journal AJ100 Building of the Year award, and last month won the RIBA South West regional award.

Read more about the South West award winners, including The Owers House in Feock, here:

www.architecture.com/Awards/Awards2016/RegionalAwards/RegionalWinners/SouthWestWinners.aspx

June event postponed
Unfortunately we have had to postpone our visit to the Tamar Valley Centre, Gunnislake on 25 June due to the unavailability of the architect, who was going to give us a presentation. We are looking at other ideas for an event in July or August, and will advertise it when we have details. Keep an eye on our Facebook page.

An autumn visit to Truro
A date for your diaries . . .

The South West regional group’s first AGM will be held on 22 October in Truro, preceding an afternoon at F. K. Hicklin’s New County Hall (1963-6) and visits to a selection of C20 buildings in the city. We will be joined by Peter Beacham who will talk about his revised edition of the Cornwall Pevsner, and Jerome Tait (Historic England) on the future of protection for C20 buildings.

Once we have firmed up all the details we will announce that booking is open. There will be a small charge and places will be limited.

Sam Barnes, Liaison Officer, South West Group