Grange Hotel Stables, Thomas Rigg, and Rigg's Refreshment Rooms black plaque

This black commemorative plaque records: Hotel Stables. Known as the "Taps" this building was originally the stables for the Grange Hotel which opened in 1866 with finance provided by Furness Railway Company. Thomas Rigg, the first manager, promoted Grange's earliest charabanc service from here, and also gave his name to another venture on site, "Rigg's Refreshment Rooms", affectionately nicknamed the "Cocoa Rooms" by local people simply because cocoa was the cheapest drink available. Education in Grange began in a school built close to the "Taps" on an area liable to flood during high tides "...when the number of small geysers, some attaining two or more feet in height, forced themselves up in the hotel grounds." Recorded plaque organisation: Grange Civic Society.

Thomas Rigg managed the Grange Hotel from its opening in 1866 and initiated early charabanc services, while also operating "Rigg's Refreshment Rooms," a popular local establishment. The hotel grounds, including the stables known as the "Taps," were significant for early tourism and education in Grange, facing challenges such as flooding during high tides.