Grand Hotel - Lost in the anals of time
A long-lost landmark once at the heart of the town’s hospitality scene has been remembered for its beauty, history and ultimate demise.
If you scroll down to the bottom of the page you will see a couple of photos of what they replaced this glorious hotel with - and prepare to be shocked at the complete and utter ugliness of what they put there ... and further down another grand old building, and what replaced it.
The Grand Hotel in Bournemouth, a striking Victorian-era building, stood on Fir Vale Road until its demolition in 1962.
Its former site became home to modern nightlife venues and a multi-storey car park.
The Grand Hotel, Bournemouth. (Image: Echo)
The origins of the site date back to 1861, when a private residence named The Firs was built beside a stream in a valley once known as Church Glen.
The property was later transformed into the Grand Fir Vale Hotel in 1882 as Bournemouth developed into a popular resort town.
The hotel eventually became known simply as the Grand Hotel and grew to occupy nearly three acres, featuring 91 guest rooms and 30 staff rooms.
WH Doré and HJ Preston, the hotel’s managing directors at the turn of the century, oversaw major improvements and expansions.
The ground rent, set at £80 per year on a 99-year lease from 1894, was raised to £100 annually from 1898 to reflect the rising value of the land.
During the Second World War, the Grand Hotel played a vital role in supporting the war effort by housing members of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
The Grand Hotel, Bournemouth. (Image: Echo)
It was one of 42 hotels in Bournemouth used for billeting servicemen.
However, the hotel struggled to regain its former prestige in the post-war years and closed in 1960.
Its demolition two years later remains a point of contention in Bournemouth’s architectural history.
The 1960's saw a great building bonanza rebuilding after the war and where there was a housing shortage and thousands of damaged and destroyed great Victorian houses and hotels needing being replaced and modern concrete was the name of the game back then. Many really ugly buildings were constructed and - amazingly enough - some even won awards in their day and we now see them as really ugly.
Parkstone's Victory Palace and Regal cinemas remembered
A bustling corner of Parkstone was once the site of star-studded glamour and childhood wonder. Long before streaming and multiplexes, cinemas on Ashley Road and Jubilee Road brought Hollywood magic to Dorset.
In 1920, the Victory Palace Cinema opened its doors, operated by James Bravery and offering a mix of films and live variety shows. It entertained audiences until February 24, 1935, closing with screenings of Joe E. Brown in Tenderfoot and Florence Desmond in High Society.
Regal Cinema, Parkstone. (Image: Echo)
Its demolition made way for something even grander.
On September 18, 1935, the Art Deco Regal Cinema opened on the same site, designed by architect Robin Audrey Thomas.
It featured a café and modern comforts, quickly becoming a favourite destination for film lovers.
The Regal opened with Anna Neagle in Peg of Old Drury and was equipped to show 3D films during the early 1950s craze, including Vincent Price’s House of Wax.
For many in Parkstone, the Regal is best remembered for its Saturday morning children’s club.
For sixpence, youngsters enjoyed a feature film, cartoons, newsreels, and a weekly serial such as Flash Gordon.
The auditorium would erupt in cheers for the heroes and boos for the villains, creating a lively and memorable atmosphere.
When money was tight, children would find creative ways to get in—sometimes sneaking friends through fire doors or toilet windows after buying a single ticket.
Regal Cinema, Parkstone. (Image: Echo)
Despite its popularity, the Regal’s story came to an end on October 12, 1963. Following repeated disruptions from unruly youths, management was forced to close the cinema.
The final film shown was Frank Sinatra’s
'Come Blow Your Horn.'
The building was demolished soon after, making way for the retail units now occupied by Iceland and Coral.
Today, shoppers may not realise they are walking on the same ground where generations once gathered for cinematic adventures.
The loss of the Regal and Victory Palace marked the end of an era when the silver screen brought people together and offered a window to worlds beyond their own.
Those who remember the cinemas speak fondly of the excitement, laughter, and sense of community they provided.
The site, now part of everyday routines, once held the dreams and imaginations of an entire community.
Where Regal Cinema, Parkstone, could once be found. (Image: Echo)
Residents with memories or photographs of the Regal or Victory Palace are encouraged to share their stories. Whether it’s a tale of Saturday morning pictures or sneaking in through the back, these recollections help keep the spirit of Parkstone’s cinematic past alive.
JB COMMENTS:- It is TRULY SHOCKING -
The ugly - quite disgraceful buildings they built in their place. Clearly NO eye for beauty and no eye for any form of good taste at all. Both the examples above are truly disgraceful - ESPECIALLY when you compare it with what was there before. Buildings on a grand scale with style and replaced with concrete and steels ugly car park and bowling alley and an Iceland and Coral gambling.
Appalling. Truly appalling.
I just hope and pray we have better taste these days and do not replace with ugly. It down grades the whole area and attracts a very different clientelle to the area than it once did.
One day - long after I am pushing up daisies, Hamilton Hall will be knocked down and flats built in its place - and it's anyone's guess what this beautiful old Victorian house will be replaced with; - and glad to say, with the internet, Hamilton Hall;- the building and its history and its later life as a men only clothing optional hotel, will live on in the annals of peoples minds remembering when ... and I am sure while Hamilton Hall will one day be gone, COME AND ENJOY IT WHILE IT IS STILL HERE as tomorrow is another day - and another day closer to Christmas, and another day closer to the New Year and - so it continues. One day in the distant future someone will be looking back at old photos online - in wonder at the beauty of the old place and like we do here, be dissappointed at its loss.
Nothing, sadly, lasts forever.
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