I expect you are wondering why I call the Llandudno Grand Hotel the “Welsh Ritz” in my book, there is a very good reason read on to find out more… #seaside #history #Llandudno #wales

1/5The adverts in the newspapers announcing the opening of the Llandudno Grand in 1902 talked of “Warings” as the builder and furnisher. Warings were a company founded by John Waring and made high quality furniture.

2/5They went into partnership with Gillows to form the famous Waring and Gillow furniture brand.The Warings had strong links with Llandudno and when shares were offered to build a new Grand Hotel, they invested in the project.

3/5Having this vested interest meant they were keen to be involved in the build. Samuel Waring liked a partnership and during the building of the Grand, was introduced to the architect John Francis Doyle. Doyle was a pioneer of steel frame construction in the UK.

4/5This method of building large structures was revolutionary. JF Doyle would have been interested in the US building companies already employing the new technology and one of these was J Whites. True to form Sam Waring went into business with White to form the firm Waring White.

5/5Together they used the new building method to build the Ritz Hotel in London (1906). Waring was also for a while in business with Gordon Selfridge and although the partnership was dissolved before his iconic department store was built, Waring-White undertook the build (1909).