Alexandra Hotel, Greengate Street, Stafford

Description:A rear view of the Alexandra Hotel which fronted Greengate Street, on the corner of Tipping Street, Stafford. The hotel closed in 1961. A preservation order was made with the intention of keeping the building's front façade and inserting shop windows at street level. This photograph was taken during the adjacent demolition in 1964 which revealed worse than expected deterioration of the hotel. The site was redeveloped and is currently (2025) occupied by 'Superdrug'.

The Alexandra Hotel was originally built in the late eighteenth century as a town house and business premises for Thomas Lovett, a wine merchant. The building became a public house in the nineteenth century, known as Lloyd's Wine Vaults, and in 1899 it was purchased by Eley's Brewery of Stafford. In 1903 the hotel was bought by William Cummins and renamed after Edward VII's queen. It was said to have carved heraldic panelling and a notable staircase within. During demolition several George III 'cartwheel' pennies were found under the floorboards. One of the roof timbers was discovered to have the date 1617 carved into it along with the letters 'I.V.L.H.'. This may possibly have been re-used from an earlier building.