The Beach Hotel, The Esplanade, Bognor.
Blaster Arthur Taylor
Bognor railway station was opened in 1864 on what was a sandy, undeveloped coastline. This led to a small numbers of wealthy Victorian figures establishing large homes in the area, and a seaside resort was developed by Sir Richard Hotham. It has been claimed that Hotham and his new resort of Bognor are portrayed in Jane Austen’s unfinished novel Sanditon.
In 1929 Bognor was chosen by the advisors to King George V as a seaside resort to revitalise the king’s health. This led to Bognor’s regal suffix of “Regis” being used by royal consent.
The Beach Hotel (double click on the photo for a better view) is now the Beach Restaurant, serving traditional fish and chips to locals and holiday makers.