One of Birmingham’s longest standing hotels has given away more than 1,500 pillows, hundreds of duvets, mattress toppers and protectors to those in need after an £8 million refurbishment.
The donations of used but clean and serviceable bedding have come from the Crowne Plaza Birmingham City Centre on Holliday Street, a prominent city landmark for six decades.
Siobhan Thomasson, Crowne Plaza’s general manager, explained that the hotel’s renovation began last February and ended in December, with all 312 guest rooms now refitted.
Ms Thomasson said: “We’ve created rooms that are not only stylish and comfortable but also highly functional, with more sockets, digital cable ports, desk space and stylish colours.”
Throughout the project, undertaken by County Contractors, the Crowne Plaza demonstrated its commitment to sustainability with its Linen Donation Scheme.
The pillows, duvets, mattress toppers and protectors were donated to Feedo Needo, a charity supporting homeless people, and to Birmingham City Foundation, which helps to improve lives in the area.
Ms Thomasson added: “We are committed to making a positive impact. These efforts not only reduce waste but also support some of the city’s most vulnerable residents.”
The hotel has been a distinctive feature of the city’s skyline since it first opened its doors in the 1960s. It initially became famous as a prized Holiday Inn venue frequented by top TV stars when the former Central TV studios were based nearby.
When it was the Holiday Inn, one of the hotel’s most notorious celebrities was the late Michael Elphick, the lead star in the 1980s TV series Boon. He once blundered into and shattered glass doors in the hotel’s ‘Pool Bar’, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.
