Grand Brighton Hotel

The Grand Brighton Hotel is a historic Victorian sea front hotel in Brighton on the south coast of England. Designed by John Whichcord Jr. and built in 1864, it was intended for members of the upper classes visiting the city, and remains one of Brighton's most expensive hotels.During the 1984 Conservative Party conference, the hotel was bombed by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) in an attempt to assassinate Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.HistoryThe Grand Hotel was designed by architect John Whichcord Jr., and built in 1864 on the site occupied previously by a battery house. It was built for members of the upper classes visiting Brighton and Hove and remains one of the most expensive hotels in the city. Among its advanced engineering features at the time was the "Vertical Omnibus", a hydraulically powered lift powered by cisterns in the roof. This was the first lift built in the United Kingdom outside London, at a time when only two others had been installed. The building itself is an example of Italian influence in Victorian architecture.1984 bombingThe hotel was bombed by the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) in the early morning of 12 October 1984, in an attempt to assassinate Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher during the Conservative Party conference. The bomb exploded at 2:51am 12 October. It had been hidden three weeks earlier behind the bath panel of room 629 (currently 621).