Grand Hotel, Brighton, UK

The Grand Hotel was built in 1864 for use by the upper classes in Brighton & Hove. In its day, it housed some the UK's most advanced engineering including the first lift in Britain built outside London (at a time when only 2 others had been installed.)


On October 12, 1984 , the Provisional IRA (Irish Republican Army) attempted to assassinate Margaret Thatcher and the top tier of her government by bombing this 19th century Brighton landmark. 5 people died and 31 were injured including the wife of Norman Tebbit (then, the President of the Board of Trade.)

'The Grand' remains to this day one of the most prestigious hotels in the region and a fine example of Italian influence in Victorian architecture. I first visited Brighton in 1981 - 3 years before the bombing - and today it was good to see  restored to its former glory.