The Old North Western Hotel was the first hotel in Zambia. Followed by Eastern Mansions and others including the iconic Fairmount Hotel. The Hitchens family sold it to the City of Livingstone presumably. But later the Northwestern was offloaded to a local Indian businessman. They are both heritage site in the waiting. Structurally sound. Roof, plumbing, and electrical wiring and outlets need updating. Below is info on the Northwestern from a blog sight. NORTH WESTERN HOTEL, LIVINGSTONE, ZAMBIA This is a picture of the North Western Hotel in Livingstone in its prime in 1972, and its thanks to Derek Dawson for scanning the picture from an old magazine and sending it over. The other day I posted a blog about Jigger Fleas. Remember it? It was about a chap called Martin Hitchins, a Livingstone resident who knows everything there is to know about everything. Heres a link in case you missed it! Well, the North Western Hotel belongs to Martin Hitchins but unfortunately it doesnt look like this anymore, and is mainly used as a warehouse for bulk supplies of things like cement and flour and for a few offices. You would not like to see a photo of the hotel in its present state. The problem came partly, I think, as result of the building being listed as of historic importance and thereby restricting Martin in what and how he could renovate. Im not sure. The hotel is sited at the bottom of the 2nd Class Trading Area (how colonial is that?) and at one time I suppose it had a great location but not any more. Martin still talks optimistically of renovating the old lady (not his late Mum whom he hated and who actually was the driving force behind the hotel in its hayday, she was by all reports a fiery dragon of a lady who would stand no nonsense!) I love the picture for the cars if nothing else. I think I see an old Peugeot and the great Ford Cortina but I cant get the station wagon in the middle. Anyone? Posted: 22 August 2007 at 04:27 Hitchins family still own it and yes, I believe they still own Great Eastern Mansions across the road which now houses Comesa traders but which used to be an hotel of sorts.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 19:53:16 +0000
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