Thieves strike at Eastbourne seafront hotel

Despite a notice asking people not to touch the memorabilia at the Lansdowne Hotel in King Edwards Parade, old silver plated items dating back more than 106 years were stolen.

Among the items taken were salt and pepper pots, mustard pots, knives and forks and teapots.

They all disappeared from the hotel during the weekend of January 26 and 27.

Catherine Clifford at the hotel said the items were of no particular value but mainly sentimental value to her family who have run the hotel for more than 100 years.

She said, “Most of the items had either Lawns Hotel or Lansdowne Hotel engraved on them.

“I hope people will share the information and the lowlife that stole them gets caught and can be brought to justice.”

The Lansdowne Hotel has been owned by the same family since 1912 with Edward Lewis and Catherine Clifford as the current third and fourth generation in the hotel.

The hotel was originally a venue with 36 letting rooms in 1912 but prospered during the Great War and expanded. By the outbreak of the Second World War the hotel consisted of five inter-connected houses with 72 letting bedrooms which were occupied by troops manning a coastal battery stationed on the slopes of the Wish Tower during the Second World War.