WORKMEN have uncovered a floor worth £30,000 during the refurbishment of a Wirral hotel.

The Minton design is believed to be one of a just a handful of examples in Merseyside alongside St George's Hall.

And restoring it is such a specialised job that a tiler has had to be brought out of retirement to carry out the work.

The tiles were spotted when decorators ripped up the carpet in the entrance hall at Hollins Hey Hotel in New Brighton.

Now owner Ian Carruthers wants to restore the foyer to its former glory.

He said: "It was a real shock, I had no idea there was anything under the carpet except underlay.

"It is a real find. I've done quite a lot of research into Minton flooring since the discovery and it really was the Gucci of the tile world.

"The only problem is trying to get it restored. I have had 14 different flooring experts out and not one of them would touch it.

"Luckily one of them knew a retired tiler who could do the job."

Thomas Minton was famed for the porcelain and pot produced at his factory in Stoke-on-Trent.

He popularised the Willow Pattern and was Spode's biggest rival.

But it was only once his son Herbert took over the business that it diversified into making tiles.

The firm led the way in using the latest industrial techniques to produce printed and painted tiles, with many designed by artists such as William Wise and John Moyr.

It was during the 1840s that the floors were at the height of their popularity, which is when the hotel was built.

The 13 room-building is currently undergoing a major refit following the opening of its new function room, the Achill Suite.

Painstaking sessions to remove the carpet glue from each of the 1,000 tiles have been carried out.

Once that is complete, a strip from the hotel's office block will be removed and used to replace a damaged section in the lobby.

It is expected the restoration will be completed in time for Christmas at the hotel, which has been swamped by wedding couples looking for somewhere to hold their reception following the closure of the nearby Victoria Hotel.

Mr Carruthers added: "It has been an incredibly busy time for us but for those couples who we have managed to help we are honouring the Hotel Victoria's prices. The restored floor will be the perfect backdrop for the wedding receptions."

samlister@dailypost.co.uk