- A rally of Neo-Nazis, Holocaust-deniers, and members of the National Front and BNP at the Grosvenor Hotel, Victoria on April 11 has angered the Campaign against Anti-Semitism after claims that speakers had dressed up their race-hatred as academic work and described Jewish people as “the enemy” and the “children of darkness” The keynote speaker was Spanish self-confessed Nazi Pedro Varela who has claimed “There were never any gas chambers at Auschwitz”, although at just 57 years old he couldn’t possibly have been there at the time to know.
The police say the rally “did not reach the threshold for a criminal investigation” However, going on previous similar situations, any Jewish staff at the Grosvenor who were exposed to the “vile rants” and offended by them may have a case against their employer under duty of care, if the management was aware of the content of the rally when the ill-considered booking was taken.
- A fire station opposite Piccadilly station in Manchester, derelict since 1986, has finally been put up for sale by its owners Britannia Hotels, after threats of a Compulsory Purchase Order from Manchester City Council (Business Desk).
The Grade ll listed red brick and terracotta building was built in 1906 in an Edwardian Baroque style and now has listed building consent to turn it into a high-end 227-bedroom, 13,000 square metre hotel with restaurants, bars and conference spaces, thought to be a profitable possibility given the ambitious plans for regeneration of the Piccadilly area for the HS2 trains.
- The billionaire Barclay twins, Sir David and Sir Frederick have sold their 64% stake in the Coroin holding company for Claridges and the Berkeley and Connaught hotels to the Quatari Constellation Hotels Group.
This follows four years of Fred and Dave making very rich solicitors richer still with failed legal battles to force Coirin’s other shareholder, Paddy McKillen, to give up his stake.
The Barclays still own something valuable on London’s Piccadilly called The Ritz.
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