Video: Memories of old Harrogate as Majestic Hotel rises from the ashes

The devastating fire that swept through the upper floors of the iconic building, gutting dozens of rooms and claiming the life of employee Nigel Butterfield, took 100 firefighters eight hours to bring under control.

As the smoke settled on the charred remains of the building, 20 per cent of which was destroyed, the hotel was forced to shut for just the third time in its 111-year history.

This month, the Majestic is being officially re-opened, and, to mark the event it is hosting a special exhibition of hotel memorabilia over the past century.

Much of what is going on show has been donated by members of the public, many of whom are Harrogate residents whose relatives worked at the hotel.

General manager Vince Johnson says he has been amazed at the treasure trove of objects amassed in the past few months, including a Nazi map showing the Majestic as a bombing target during the Second World War, old cabaret programmes and tickets for glamorous parties and photographs of staff dating back to 1900.

Among the items, is a menu from the hotel’s grand re-opening dinner and dance following the end of the Second World War – the last time the building was shut.

Mr Johnson says he is planning something equally impressive for this year, although he may spare guests the rice pudding.

He said: “I got the phone call at 5.15am last year saying there had been this major fire.

“It was the phone call no hotel manager ever wants to get.

“After it there was two weeks of absolute mayhem.

“I had never prepared for something like that and couldn’t comprehend the sheer scale of the mayhem that an eight-hour fire could inflict.

“The damage covered about 20 per cent of the building but it also cut through almost all of our main services. It left a hole in the building.

“We were also devastated to lose a member of staff – Nigel had worked here as a kitchen porter for 18 years and was well known.

“The ripples of that fire will carry on for a long time.”

Following the blaze, which destroyed 10 staff bedrooms, 29 guest bedrooms and the main dining room, the hotel was fully closed for four months.

Harrogate’s other hotels temporarily took on many of the Majestic’s staff and guests who had booked rooms during that time.

The building partially reopened last September but with a lot of work still to be done.

It is only now that the Majestic, billed during its heyday between 1900 and 1930 as the “Finest Spa Hotel in the World”, has risen fully from the ashes.

“It is a case of starting afresh and embarking on the next stage in our history,” said Mr Johnson. “We are fully open and want to now welcome people back to what has been a huge hotel for the whole of Yorkshire for the past 111 years.

“A big part of what we are about is the history and heritage of this building and this exhibition is a great way to show that.

“I have been very surprised at the response from the public, it is amazing what people have still got after all these years.

“A few of the items we had buried away at the hotel and are things that have never been shown to people – they haven’t seen the light of day since they were put away all those years ago.”

So far the hotel has collected more than 50 relics which will be put on show in its reading and drawing room between September 6 and September 8.

Many of which tell as much about the colourful cast of characters that worked there over the past 111 years, as the building itself.

Among the people who have come forward, are the grand-daughters of Ted Nash, who operated the hotel’s garage before the First World War – when rich guests demanded that mechanics were on hand to service their vehicles during their stay.

A book of tartans stamped with the Majestic Hotel seal and distributed throughout guests’ rooms by its Scottish general manager Jock Davies during the 1940s, has also been donated.

Just yesterday the widow of Arnold Bailey, hotel doorman throughout the 1960s, 70s and 80s, also got in touch.

Photographs and postcards from another fire which devastated the building in 1924, also feature prominently among the collection for the exhibition.

The blaze originated from staff quarters on the West side of the building, although no one was killed.

As the Majestic once again throws its doors open to the public, it is hoped such tragedies will now be consigned to history forever.