Monday 31 August 2015

1971: Kingsgate Hotel Opens

This week, I share with you an advertisement for the former Kingsgate Hotel at Kings Cross which opened as a "motor inn" in 1971.


You might remember my entry from some time ago where I mentioned an alternate scheme from 1969. A globe was proposed in place of an antenna and the complex would have included a three-screen cinema complex.


The Kingsgate just before conversion to apartments in 2003.
Photo by the Author.
It did trade for a number of years as a Hyatt Hotel then in its final years was the Millennium Hotel. In 2003, it was converted into the Zenith Apartment Tower. It was one of many well known Kings Cross Hotels that closed in that time following the 2000 Olympic Games and subsequent "oversupply" of hotel rooms.

Zenith Apartment Tower (2009)
The photo was taken by the Author.
 The only thing that hasn't changed is the Coke sign, still reigning supreme.

4 comments:

  1. Original neon Coke sign was removed when Hyatt was built

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  2. My dad was the foreman during the construction of the building. As a 12 year old my dad took me up to the 22nd floor during construction and I took photographs from up there. I still have them and a photo of my dad on site.

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  3. worked there early 70`s removing everything from inside the units for new renovatioons, the cut the hole at the rear ground floor rear entrance for spiral staircase and read elevator great times back then

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  4. The building is under recladding construction again. I’m one of the cladders onsite.

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