Our photo shows the Grange Hotel that once stood proud in St Mark’s Avenue, Salisbury. In 1995 demolition workmen carried out the final rites on a landmark that for nearly 100 years was, successively, a private house, a hotel and a nightclub. The site eventually became occupied by ‘much needed’ town houses…

The magnificent mansion was originally the home of the Woodrow family of Salisbury and the landscaped grounds looked across to the Laverstock Downs – it was widely regarded as one of the finer examples of late Victorian architecture.

Building work started in April, 1898, and was completed the following year. Charles Woodrow was a well-known figure in and around Salisbury and he was the man responsible for building the establishment for his family. Charles not only served as Mayor of Salisbury, but was also a first class rifleman winning numerous national awards. Many competitions took place in the gardens of his new home which remained a private house until being turned into a hotel. Charles Woodrow died in 1940.

Called the Grange, it was extended in 1975 when the Dragon Suite was added, named after the four dragons on the roof.

The extension provided the hotel with dancing and entertainment facilities which attracted Gold Diggers, a Chippenham company specialising in entertainment centres.

They turned it into a nightclub called Jems and remained in business until the early 1980s when Martin James acquired the building and renamed the club Concordes.

It was a very popular venue but neighbours objected to the noise, the district council refused planning permission for an increase in capacity, and Mr James finally had to concede defeat in the April of 1995 when the receivers were called in. By July of that year, plans had progressed for a housing development on the site of the once-grand building.