The Adelphi Hotel was once considered a Liverpool gem.
When the current hotel building first opened, designed by architect Frank Atkinson, it was regarded as "the most luxurious hotel outside London". But today that description couldn't be much further from the truth.
For many years now the famous old hotel on Ranelagh Street has been a source of scorn and derision. The ECHO has run countless articles on complaints from guests who have stayed there in recent times. It is clear the hotel needs investment and improvement but there has been little sign of this from the current owners.
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Things have become more serious for the hotel and its owners over the past year as the hotel found itself at the centre of two separate investigations and facing growing calls for change. Here we take a look at The Adelphi's year of shame.
Death of Chloe Haynes
It's been a dark year for the Adelphi, but there was no darker moment than the tragic death of a young woman inside the hotel.
21-year-old Chloe Haynes was found dead in her room in the early hours of September 10. Shortly after her death, Chloe's mum shared the harrowing details of how her 'beautiful' daughter had lost her life.
Nicola Williams, told the ECHO her "beautiful" daughter had died after a wardrobe in the room she was staying in fell on her and crushed her windpipe.
Chloe had travelled to Liverpool from Hafan y Mor Haven Holiday Park in Pwllheli, North Wales, where she worked, for a night out. She was sharing a room at the city centre hotel with a colleague, who found her body and raised the alarm.
Three men were initially quizzed by police over Chloe's death, before being released with no further action taken when the circumstances became clear. Merseyside Police have confirmed her death is being treated as "accidental".
Liverpool City Council's Environmental Health department is still working with the police on an ongoing investigation into the events surrounding Chloe's death at the Adelphi Hotel.
At no stage since Chloe's tragic death in September has anyone from The Adelphi or its owners Britannia Hotels made any comment, despite multiple requests from the ECHO.
Separate investigation
Liverpool Council's ongoing investigation into The Adelphi and the circumstances of Chloe's death is not the only probe the hotel is currently subject to.
It was revealed by the ECHO that the Environmental Health team has a separate investigation into the Adelphi taking place. This probe relates to an incident that happened at the hotel back in May in which a guest was injured.
Commenting on this investigation, A spokesperson for Liverpool City Council said: “Liverpool City Council’s Environmental Health Department is currently involved in an ongoing investigation relating to a guest who was injured at the Adelphi Hotel, in May this year.”
Food hygiene
As well as the Environmental Health investigations, the Ranelagh Street site was also the subject of a food hygiene inspection in September. The Food Standards Agency website shows the hotel now has a hygiene rating of just two out of five following an inspection on September 7. Until recently the hotel had a rating of four out of five.
According to details on the website, the main area of concern found by inspectors was related to hygienic food handling, which includes food preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage. The inspection found improvement was necessary in this area. The inspection found the two other key areas - of cleanliness and condition of facilities and building and management of food safety - were general satisfactory.
Political pressure
Amid the problems facing the Adelphi Hotel and its owners Britannia Hotels, there appears to be growing political pressure. In October, Kim Johnson, Member of Parliament for the area where the hotel is based, spoke in no uncertain terms about her views on The Adelphi.
She said: "There are clearly issues that Liverpool City Council and its environmental health team need to investigate. It is a real tragedy that a young girl has died.
"As a destination city, I think the Adelphi used to be a flagship hotel, now I think it is a blight on our city. It has seen a significant decline over the years and I think the ownership has let it decline, it could be such an amazing hotel for the city. For us as a city it is also about the reputational damage this does to the city."
"I think it is concerning, the group need to co-operate fully with the investigations and it would be far better for the city if the hotel was to be taken over by a different hotel group that would invest in it and make it the flagship hotel it once was for the city."
She was joined in her criticism by Liverpool City Councillor Nick Small, who added: "It’s an amazing building, but sadly not being run as it should be."
Wall of silence
Bosses at the Adelphi and its parent company Britannia Hotels has continued its approach of failing to comment on any issue or respond to requests for statements from the ECHO. We have repeatedly asked for responses over various stories and none have been forthcoming.
It feels particularly odd that no one at the hotel company felt they should comment after the tragic death of a young woman on the hotel grounds.
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