Demolished landmark hotel sign turned into art

12 hours ago

Pamela TickellNorth East and Cumbria

News image — The artwork is on display at Preston Park Museum in Stockton

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council/Stuart Boulton Two people are looking up at the artwork. Shards of blue and purple glass are arranged in a metal frame that resembles a swallow in flight. It is placed in a white room, in front of a window with sunlight streaming through, which means the colours of the glass are illuminated. — The artwork is on display at Preston Park Museum in Stockton

A neon hotel sign, once "synonymous" with a town's skyline, has been turned into art.

The 1970s Swallow Hotel in Stockton was demolished in 2023 to make way for the town's Waterfront scheme, which is a multimillion-pound urban park project set to open this year.

Darlington-born artist Stuart Langley was commissioned by Preston Park Museum to reuse the material that made up its blue sign, which had been left shattered and unstable.

He said the original bird-shaped design was engrained in his memory, and he hoped the sculpture would affirm the idea that "often destruction allows for positive change".

Originally from Darlington and now living in Hartlepool, Langley said the hotel was a "feature of many trips to Stockton".

The 43-year-old said it was "engrained in my memory as a magical set of three birds flying high above Teesside".

He collaborated with DJ Camp, in Shildon, to create a remodelled aluminium structure, which was coated with powder and dressed with suspended colourful shards.

Google The Swallow Hotel is an eight-storey red-bricked hotel that stands tall over the high street shops in front of it. Blocks of uniform hotel rooms have large, square, grey windows in rows. A sign at the top is blue and reads "Swallow Hotel". To the right, the same blue glass is in the shape of a swallow bird in flight. — The Swallow Hotel in Stockton was demolished in 2023 (pictured in 2018)

"To have had the opportunity to reimagine such an iconic piece of local heritage is a privilege," Langley said.

Kaku San Stuart Langley is working on a piece of art which involves crumpled up magazines and other bits of paper placed on a wall. He has short brown hair and a beard, and is wearing a orange and blue zipped sweater. — Artist Stuart Langley said the original bird design was "magical"

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council said the sign had been salvaged following the hotel's demolition "but time and weather had left it shattered and unstable".

Cabinet member for environment, leisure and culture Nigel Cooke said: "For over 50 years, the neon swallow sign stood on the Swallow Hotel in Stockton and was synonymous with the town's skyline.

"We hope it brings back fond memories for visitors and also inspires them to look to the town's future."

The installation, which was funded by Arts Council England, will be on display at Preston Park Museum throughout 2026.

Follow BBC Tees on X,Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.