On 13 May 1874 the
Eastbourne Gazette announced that a local resident William Earp was proposing to build a hotel with a 400-foot frontage at a cost of £50,000. The result was the Grand Hotel, designed by local architect
Robert Knott Blessley and constructed in 1875. The Grand Hotel is well known for its association with music.
Claude Debussy corrected the proofs of
La Mer between 24 July and 30 August 1905 in Suite 200, which is now known as the Debussy Suite. Eastbourne was also where
Frank Bridge completed work on his suite
The Sea in 1911.
Edward Elgar was a visitor in 1926. The Grand Hotel Orchestra broadcast
palm court music live on the
BBC from the Great Hall every Sunday night from 1925 to 1939 on the programme
Grand Hotel. During the Second World War, Eastbourne was easy prey to air raids and the hotel eventually closed down and became a military headquarters. The hotel was taken over by the De Vere Hotel Group in 1965 and then by Elite Hotels in 1998 when a complete refurbishment took place. The tradition of live music and dancing continues. ==Rooms==