Grand Ocean is a restored 1938 hotel building[1][2][3][4] in Saltdean, Brighton, on the south coast of England.

Grand Ocean
Map
General information
LocationSaltdean, United Kingdom
Coordinates50°48′08″N 0°02′09″W / 50.802266°N 0.035769°W / 50.802266; -0.035769
Opening1938

History

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Grand Ocean was designed by architect RWH Jones[2][3][4] with the classic moderne styling of the age, it opened as a luxury hotel in 1938.[5]

During the Second World War the building was taken over by the fire service and used as a fire service college.[6][7] It was then bought by Billy Butlin in 1953 and became a Butlin's Holiday camp.[7] In 2005 a theatrical production, Dirty Wonderland, was staged in the former hotel.[8]

Shortly thereafter the main hotel building was redeveloped into luxury apartments.[9][10]

Architecture

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Notable features include the internal staircase and foyer.[11] It is included as the starting point of a local tour of Brighton architecture.[2][3] along with Brighton Pavilion, Brighton Pier and the Regency Brunswick Town.

References

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  1. ^ Sussex: East Edition of the Buildings of England Publisher: Yale University Press (14 May 2013) ISBN 0300184735
  2. ^ a b c Connell, Ward and Lucas: Modern Movement Architects in England 1929-1939 Authors Dennis Sharp, Sally Rendel Publisher Frances Lincoln ltd, 2008 ISBN 9780711227682
  3. ^ a b c Fred Gray (2006). Designing the Seaside: Architecture, Society And Nature. Reaktion Books. p. 302. ISBN 978-1-86189-274-4. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  4. ^ a b Thom Gorst (6 December 2012). The Buildings Around Us. Taylor & Francis. p. 82. ISBN 978-1-135-82328-3. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  5. ^ Allan Brodie; Gary Winter (2007). England's Seaside Resorts. English Heritage. p. 88. ISBN 978-1-905624-65-2.
  6. ^ Training and Education in the Fire Services: Proceedings of a Symposium Conducted by [the] Committee on Fire Research, Division of Engineering, National Research Council Contributor National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Fire Research Publisher National Academies, 1970
  7. ^ a b "The Grand Ocean Hotel at Saltdean enters a new phase". By Jan Melrose, BBC Sussex, 10 February 2010
  8. ^ "Dirty Wonderland", The Guardian Elisabeth Mahoney, 21 May 2005
  9. ^ "Home suite home: Old seaside hotels are being turned into luxury flats ". The Independent, 4 October 2014.
  10. ^ "New Art Deco flats at the Grand Ocean Hotel in Saltdean, East Sussex". The Times, Damian Barr, May 2, 2008
  11. ^ ITV Meridian News 28 6 13 "Brighton's architectural gems"