Hotel to auction furniture ahead of refurbishment

A hotel in Brighton is to auction its furniture ahead of a major refurbishment.

All 201 guest bedrooms at the Grand Hotel will be upgraded from January following the sale of the establishment to Fattal Group, owner of Leonardo Hotels UK and Ireland, earlier this year.

“Everything’s up for offer that one would find in a Grand Hotel bedroom - from beds and lamps to drapery and mirrors,” the auctioneers said.

The first auction will take place on 19 December through Pro Auction.

The Grand Hotel, which opened in 1864, was bombed by the IRA during the Conservative Party conference in 1984.

Five people died and 34 were injured in the attack aimed at the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her cabinet.

It also featured in BBC show Only Fools and Horses and the film Quadrophenia.

The hotel in Kings Road was previously renovated in 2013 and 2019.

Simon Rose, Pro Auction managing director, said he was thrilled to “offer the chance to own a part of the Grand Hotel’s opulence”.

“Prior to the commencement of the new design, you have the chance to capture the essence of luxury by acquiring pieces of the hotel's furniture at a fraction of the cost,” he said.

"This is an exceptional opportunity to acquire furniture from one of the city's most iconic hotels."

The first phase of the auction will feature furniture including beds, bedside tables, wardrobes, desks and chairs.

An auction will take place at the hotel on 19 December, with online bidding also available.

Subsequent sales will occur every five weeks, starting in March.

Andrew Mosley, general manager of the hotel, said the Grand Hotel was “a Brighton institution”.

“We are sure that when we share our planned new bedroom designs, they will be very well received,” he said.

Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].