The other evening, I was glancing through one of my late 1800’s Liverpool Guides, when I came across a building in the city centre, which I thought I recognised in this modern era… The next day (Friday) my wife and I ventured into the City Centre, as I wanted to take a photo of the building, as it stands today… so after having breakfast in the superb now re-furbished, to its former glory… North Western Hotel… Our aim was to locate another premier (but forgotten) hotel within the city… The Compton Hotel.

So after walking into the city, we found ourselves at the Marks & Spencers building… and there it was… The old Compton hotel, built in 1867. Although the two tower roofs have disappeared, and the M&S sign to the moulded panel has eradicated the original hotel name, the building has not changed much in 150+ years.

Originally built as a large department store called Compton House, after a substantial fire, in 1865….. Compton House, was rebuilt as the Compton Hotel, in the prime location we see it today.

One of my Liverpool guides of the day describes the Compton in some detail, to give us a flavour of its situation and amenities…

The Compton Hotel

This magnificent edifice is constructed of Stourston stone, in the Italian Renaissance style of architecture; it cost up-wards of £150,000 exclusive of the site, containing three thousand square yards of land, and extending back to Leigh Street, a distance of about 200 feet, while the sides of the building front Tarleton Street, on the west, and Basnett Street, on the east. Consisting of seven stories, it rises to a considerable height, and is surmounted by a Mansard roof, laid out as a promenade. At each of the Church Street corners are handsome towers, with ornamental iron railings on their summits; and midway between them is a large moulded panel, containing the date of erection of the building in 1867, and other information. A large portion of the ground floor, along the three already described fronts, and on each side of the entrance to the hotel, has been converted into shops, in the Parisian and American style. the chief entrance to the hotel is in the centre of the principal front – that facing Church Street. It opens into a spacious hall, adjoining which are a restaurant and luncheon room, and a capacious billiard room (containing eleven handsome billiard tables). On the first floor are to be found a most comfortable coffee room (forty feet square), a chaste and elegant ladies drawing room (thirty feet by twenty feet), suites of private apartments, smoking and reading rooms, &c. In all the hotel contains 250 rooms. The bedrooms have been partly arranged on the American principle, so that several can be used, with adjoining sitting room, en-suite, or they may be individually occupied and entirely shut off from each other. the hotel is adjacent to the railway stations and within easy distance of the landing stage, where the American and other steamers land and embark their passengers. Being situated in the most fashionable and central street in the town, it is largely frequented by families and visitors, bent either on business or pleasure.

Will you ever look on M&S in the same light again? … lol