The Remarkable Vegetarian Hotel of Birmingham: A Century-Long Mitre (1896-1930s)

In 1896, the Pitman Vegetarian Hotel was established, a remarkable, century-long fixture in Birmingham. Largely catering to working-class men, students, and laborers, it shared the County Buildings with Dean's Furniture. Prominently featuring in old photographs, it was illuminated with gas lights and flourished until the 1930s. Named after Sir Isaac Pitman, the hotel's founding was favored by Pitman himself, a key figure in the vegetarian movement.

During this time, the Pitman Vegetarian Hotel hosted colossal names, such as Mahatma Gandhi, who was presented with containers of Nuto Cream, a meat-free spread produced by the hotel's subsidiary, the Pitman Health Food Co. This company rose to considerable fame as 'The Largest Health Food Dealers in the World. After World War II, the County Buildings accommodated various voluntary organizations, including the Chest X-Ray department and the Citizens Advice Bureau, under the Birmingham Voluntary Service Council.

In 2023, the building was acquired by Regal Property Group and Trigram Properties to be refashioned into a 156-room hotel, set to open in 2025.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons