The Grand old hotel that once knocked back Led Zeppelin

Glasgow Grand Central hotel boss on his plans for the future

Everyone from Charlie Chaplin to Mae West was put up at the Central. Frank Sinatra, Danny Kaye, Sammy Davis Jnr, Laurel and Hardy, Ivor Novello, Count Basie, Nat King Cole, Cary Grant, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Dusty Springfield ... the list is more or less endless.

"As well as the stars sprinkled with showbiz glamour there were other well-known faces from the world of sport, politics and royalty who visited or stayed in the Central Hotel", say authors Bill Hicks and Jill Scott in their book, Glasgow's Grand Central Hotel.

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Princess Margaret stayed at the hotel. Prince Philip dined there more than once.

"When the Queen came to Glasgow to mark the start of her Silver Jubilee tour on May 17, 1977, unprecedented numbers turned out to see the procession which had been organised from a suite within the Central Hotel", the book adds.

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"The Queen and Prince Philip had travelled to Glasgow on the Royal Train on which they were staying during their tour of the country but they came down past the hotel's back entrance to join up with the rest of the procession heading to Glasgow Cathedral for a Thanksgiving Service".

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The great Gene Kelly was famously photograhed outside the hotel in April 1953 during a visit to Scotland to scout locations for his next film, Brigadoon.

The book on the Central Hotel - the venue has recently welcomed a new boss in the shape of Marcello Ventisei - recalls that after a concert at the nearby Green's Playhouse in early December 1972, the rock band Led Zeppelin were reportedly refused entry to the Central's restaurant - on the grounds that they were not wearing ties.

Led Zeppelin: John Bonham, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones (Image: Gannett News Service)

"An argument ensued, but it was to no avail", the authors write. The hotel management remained firm, and declined to lend ties to the musicians.

Few celebrity visits to the old hotel had the drama that happened one day in June 1969.

Two raiders wearing sun-glasses burst into a hotel office, threatened the cashier with a lead bar, ordered him to lie on his face, and escaped with £300 in cash and some cheques and bonds.

The men got away through a foyer packed with people giving a send-off the American pop group, the Beach Boys, who had been playing at the Renfield Street Odeon.

A teenage hall porter, hearing the cashier's cries for help, ran upstairs, climbed onto a narrow ledge 15ft from the ground, and got through a window into the cashier's room.

Both raiders were wearing hats and sun glasses.

The hotel manager said: "The hotel was fully booked last night. Our guests included the Beach Boys and many Americans, who were wearing sunglasses. So the two mewn easily passed unnoticed in a crowd".

Here we look at some of the famous names who have visited or stayed at the Central Hotel.

Italy's Beniamino Gigli was the greatest tenor of his generation, renowned for the perfection of his singing technique. He is seen here during a trip to sing in Glasgow, at the Central Hotel with impresario Alexander Gorlinsky (Image: Newsquest)

Roy Rogers And Trigger. Country entertainer, Roy Rogers and his horse, Trigger, signing the register at the Central Hotel, Glasgow, 1954 (Image: Newsquest)

Major David Niven in Glasgow, signing autographs for the W.A.A.F, W.R.N.S and ATS in the Central Hotel. 1942 (Image: Newsquest)

Mae West arrives at the Central Hotel in Glasgow with ex boxer Kid Lewis. She was in Glasgow to produce her play, Diamond Lil, at the Alhambra Theatre (Image: Newsquest)

1949: Crowds outside the Central Hotel, waiting to see Danny Kaye (Image: Newsquest)

1938: Ivor Novello, Marie Lohr and Dorothy Dickson having cocktails at the Central Hotel (Image: Newsquest)

1957: Count Basie in the Central Hotel (Image: Newsquest)

1964 - Dusty Springfield waves to fans outside the Central Hotel (Image: Newsquest)

1953: Frank Sinatra smokes his pipe during a press conference at the Central Hotel (Image: Newsquest)

Real Madrid players Jose Vincente (left) and Pachin look at the weather dial at the Central Hotel. September 1962 (Image: Newsquest)

Gerry and the Pacemakers pose for the cameras at the hotel, 1964 (Image: Newsquest)

Liberace pushes through the crowds of fans awaiting his arrival at the Central Hotel, June 1960 (Image: Newsquest)

Gene Kelly outside the hotel in April 1953 (Image: Newsquest)