Later history The Ritz Hotel, London

afternoon tea @ ritz



the long gallery

the social scene changed dramatically in london in 1960s, beatlemania , sexual revolution, , british aristocracy in capital not had been. time general impeccable standards of ritz had fallen. peregrine worsthorne noted change: precisely not ritzy, in sense of being conspicuously luxurious...the glitter had long since faded , shabbiness set in. place empty, kept alive memories of former glories , clientele preferred nostalgia comfort . yet celebrities held parties @ hotel, , rolling stones guests many years. british prime ministers harold wilson, edward heath , harold macmillan lunched @ ritz; heath reserve table 29 in restaurant.

in 1970s, hotel fell turbulent period. terrorist threats irish republican army became chief concern, , bomb scares not uncommon. oil crisis in 1970s directly affected business , prompted bracewell-smith family sell stake trafalgar house on 5 april 1976 £2.75m. @ time of sale, hotel s occupancy rate 45 percent; ritz grill room had been closed , had lost quite bit of money in recent times. in 1984, ritz brought weekly sunday tea dances popular during 1920s , 1930s. because of demand, hotel considered restricting afternoon tea @ ritz hotel guests only, staying @ ritz unable table. many londoners have been barred restriction voiced disapproval , ritz compromised requiring reservations afternoon tea @ hotel. proper attire tea must; ritz once refused admit mick jagger tea because not wearing jacket , tie.

the barclay twins of ellerman group of companies purchased hotel £80 million trafalgar house, in october 1995, through company ellerman investments. spent 8 years , £40 million restoring former grandeur. 2 years after death of princess diana, prince , camilla parker-bowles made first public appearance @ ritz, left birthday party parker-bowles sister. couple returned hotel in november 2002 prince s birthday party attended queen , duke of edinburgh. in 2002, ritz became first hotel receive royal warrant royal highness prince of wales banqueting , catering services.

nameplate of entrance

the ritz acquired adjoining wimbourne house in 2005. on 27 january 2007, around 300 people evacuated nearby may fair hotel following fire alarm in hotel. no 1 hurt in blaze, started in basement casino kitchen s extraction vents. ritz casino suffered minor damage . former british prime minister margaret thatcher convalescing @ ritz when died following stroke on 8 april 2013.

there has been criticism because ritz has not paid corporation tax since being taken on barclay twins. accounts indicate profitable hotel uses series of tax reliefs reduce corporation tax zero. sir david s son, aidan has stated company abides uk law.

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