Grand Ocean, Longridge Avenue, Saltdean

Image: © Simon Carey Taken: 28 Jan 2016

Opened in 1938 as the Ocean Hotel and designed by architect Richard Jones who was also responsible for nearby Saltdean Lido. Its pre-war life was one of glamour and no expense spared with facilities including hot and cold running water, an outdoor pool and a roof garden. This brief period came to an end in 1939 and the building was commandeered in 1941 for the war effort being used as a training college for the Auxiliary Fire Service until 1948. After the war the building remained vacant until purchased by Billy Butlin in 1953 who restored and extended the building. In the postwar pre-foreign holiday period it was popular with honeymooners some of whom would return year after year. The hotel continued trading as Butlins until 1998 when its parent company, the Rank Organisation, sold it to the Grand Leisure Organisation who added the name Grand to the title but did little else finally closing it for good in 2004. The main block had originally contained the best rooms of the hotel on the second and third floors whilst the ground floor was home to the administrative offices at the front and the long dining room with views towards the sea to the rear. The lower ground floor included the hotel shop and the main ballroom and bars In 2005 the property was acquired by Explore Living who began work in 2007 restoring the main block and demolishing the swimming pool, which had been rebuilt and covered in 1985, and the blocks which extended south westwards down the slope. These have now been rebuilt with new blocks in a similar shape and style to those they replaced whilst keeping the former open view accorded to those in this part. Renamed Grand Ocean the main block was opened for prospective homeowners in 2010.

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