The Grand Latest

March 23, 2015 by Rob Kahl

Everything seems very positive for Leigh on Sea at the moment which is fantastic news for everyone. The article in The Times which I commented on last week, renewed interest in the area from potential purchasers and tenants from all over the country.

The Broadway area thriving with shops, bars and restaurants bursting at the seams and developers investing in the area staring new projects in prominent positions, even the weather looks like it might turn for the better.

There is unfortunately one exception though, which is The Grand. This once landmark hotel, restaurant & bar which is such a feature of our town has been empty and derelict for so long now it is almost as if it doesn’t exist or even get noticed any more.

Developments such as Eden Point, Bell Sands & Grand View have either gone up or been finished and have proved extremely popular with purchasers buying most of the apartments off of plan. Even the once White Elephant Nirvana on Westcliff seafront has finally been sold and hopefully David Lloyd will breath new life into this block as well.

It is surely sacrilege that a building as recognised and grand (excuse the pun) as The Grand should have stayed empty and unused for as long as it has.

I understand that there have been numerous delays during the planning prosess and local residents quite rightly were concerned that there was going to be a nightclub in the building opening all hours. All this seems to have been resolved now but apparently the delay now is that they have found Japanese Knotweed there! This has been dug out and now has to be monitored to see if it returns which could take up to 5 months!

All this means that nothing will happen this year again. Another summer will have been and gone when we all could have been drinking Pimms in the gardens or dining out in the evening.

The plans that Mick Norcross has had drawn up look spectacular. A complimentary blend of traditional and modern with piano bars, spa areas, restaurants and fabulously luxurious rooms. All of this will obviously costs hundreds of thousands of pounds and we should not underestimate the investment that Mr Norcross has already made and what is to come, but, it will also take an awful lot of time. Even if we suddenly see a hive of activity start at the property this week it will still probably be at least a year of works.

So, we will have to resolve ourselves to the fact that The Grand is going to stay empty for a lot longer and we should all get behind Mr Norcross to let him know that we will alll back the project as best we can and that there is a huge market for the redeveloped hotel which we will all visit. Surely, if we give him the confidence to dip his hand into his considerable pockets and invest in the property, we will back it once it is completed.

After all surely Leigh on Sea is a lot better than Brentwood where his other projects are? Right?

Take a look at Mr Norcross' proposed plans here http://sugarhutbrentwood.com/images/tgb.pdf

This article is by Rob Kahl @ Scott & Stapleton Estate Agents
Tel: 01702 47 11 55