Conservation Area (CA)
Regency Square CA
Local Listing Reference
LLHA0105
Description
Hotel, 1888 to 1890 by Alfred Waterhouse for Gordon Hotel Co. (one of Britain’s first hotel chains). Red brick and terracotta. Large semi-circular openings to ground floor. Cast iron balconies above. Original decorative skyline removed by 1961 extension by R. Seifert & Partners, at which point the interior was also largely remodelled. Other 1960s extensions to rear (including Sussex Heights) also by Seifert do not form part of this nomination. Source: Antram & Morrice 2008.
A. Architectural, design and artistic interest
ii. A good quality example of a large-scale purpose-built late 19th century hotel.
iv. The original building is by Waterhouse, a nationally renowned architect.
B. Historic and evidential interest
ii. The hotel illustrates the rise of Brighton as a seaside resort.
C. Townscape interest
iii. The building occupies a prominent seafront location. Its scale and the use of red brick and terracotta – in contrast to the surrounding pale rendered buildings – makes the hotel a prominent landmark.
E. Rarity and representativeness
ii. When built, the Metropole was the largest hotel in the country (outside London). It represents both the rise of Brighton as a popular Victorian seaside resort and large-scale luxury purpose-built hotel architecture at its height.
F. Intactness
i. The building has been altered in the 1960s; of which the additional floors to the seafront block are the most damaging. Nevertheless much of the original façade is discernable.
ii. The building remains in use as a luxury hotel.
Date of inclusion
2015
