The heyday of our Grand Old Lady appeared to be over, come the 70’s; with the caravanning and camping scene growing in population, although the city was still a popular holiday destination, the competition of hotels was fierce and so times were harder than ever before.
Hickmet Hotels, led by Mr. Nevvar Hickmet, took ownership of the Continental Hotel in 1970. Hickmet Hotels also took lease of The Grand Hotel in Birmingham just a couple of years later in 1972, and even after a £500,000 of refurbishment of the striking Birmingham hotel, trading conditions proved difficult, and they fell into receivership in 1976. A similar fate happened with the Continental Hotel, although hard work went into making the hotel a venue that competed with the ‘West End’, and known to many as the ‘Tavern In The Town’; with sensational acts, dancers and musicians, in 1974, sadly the hotel fell into receivership.