History of our Solihull Hotel

What is now the central old part of the Regency hotel Solihull, was an original large Victorian home. Built in the late 1870s by the Hobday family, the house was named the Monkspath Priory.

Several well-known families dwelt here in those early days including Sir Cornelius Chambers – founder of the important firm of Gaskell & Chambers who were manufacturers and exporters of beer pumps and bar fittings.

After the war, circa 1956, Harry Ellard, a millionaire businessman with several factories, purchased the house. His main interest was a very successful Wolverhampton pressings company. He also owned the magnificent Compton Verney Estate in Warwickshire but never actually lived there.

It was Ellard who converted the house into a restaurant and banqueting complex called the Regency Club. He eventually became a recluse living in a single room at the club which had by then become known locally as ‘Harry’s Folly’ He died in 1984 leaving an estate of over five million pounds, mostly bequeathed to Freemason charities. Some small gifts were left to his family, his Wolverhampton employees and certain Regency Club staff who had looked after him.

The club was taken over by Crown & Rowen Hotels in 1985. They extended the accommodation to its present 113 bedrooms by 1990.

The hotel was the acquired by Delaquest as part of its White Hart Group from the Forte-Granada conglomerate. The White Hart hotels were sold subsequently to Corus & Regal hotels in 1996.