Our five-year tenure at the Seven Stars has seen a dramatic change and overhaul of the old into the new. We are immensely proud of the changes made to our bedrooms, our garages (now the fabulous TQ9 Restaurant) and our two bars.
The final phase of our transition is the ballroom.
The facelift on the 17th Century Coaching Inn and Hotel’s ballroom is the first time it has been undertaken since the 1960’s and included taking out old-fashioned booths and providing a new floor, a modern projector and lighting system for conferences, air-conditioning, a state of the art music sound system and a new bar.
It will now accommodate 120 people for a sit-down meal and 140 for a conference, with a flexible layout which includes a stage which can be moved to fit the circumstances.
For the Ways, this is the final piece in the jigsaw since they bought the hotel in 2005.
Anne Way said: “Our aim has always been to restore the Royal Seven Stars to its former glory and we hope this project will be the ‘icing on the cake’. The hotel has traditionally been at the centre of social life in Totnes and by providing this landmark building with an exciting and contemporary new ballroom of which we can all be proud. With booking already flooding in for Christmas celebrations, we hope to ensure that future generations of Totnesians will continue to enjoy memorable occasions here.”
Changes to the room include:
Making the ceiling higher, resulting in more natural light pouring through our lengthened windows.
Taking out the side booths, creating more space and area to work with.
Removing the columns/pillars next to the side booths, resulting in additional space.
Re-laying the dance floor.
Refurbishing the Ballroom bar.
Installing new air-conditioning units; especially for the dancers during those hot summer months!
History of the Ballroom
Holding an event in the ballroom ensures you follow in the footsteps of many generations of revellers. The ballroom, while not as old as the hotel itself, has been in high demand for over two centuries.
Built in the early 19th Century, it has seen more than its fair share of functions and events. In 1861 for example, Harry Templeton and his "African Minstrels & Ethiopian Burlesque Opera Toupe" gave a performance in the Assembly room, what we now call the Ballroom. In the same year Mr. Artis of London performed the Shakespearean play "As You Like It" in the ballroom.
Please click on the below newpaper cut-outs for a larger view:
