CONTENTS OF ICONIC WORTHING HOTEL TO BE OFFERED AT AUCTION

WORTHING-based auctioneers Campbells is delighted to announce that they will be selling the contents of The Beach Hotel, Marine Parade, Worthing, West Sussex on Saturday, September 17, 2011 at 10.30am. The seafront hotel which closed at the end of August, has been run by the same family for almost 50 years and is one of the oldest and biggest hotels in Worthing. The auction will comprise in the region of 500 lots, including the entire contents of the 79 bedrooms and the kitchens so lots of opportunity to buy beds; dining tables; carpets etc! Items will be sold without reserve. The sale will also include several notable paintings that adorned the lounge of the hotel. A wonderful oil painting with local connections - of Arundel Castle from the lake by Walter Wallor Caffyn (fl.1876- 98), who lived in Dorking, Surrey, is expected to fetch 1,0002,000, while an interesting painting from Nuremberg The Toymaker by German-artist Fritz Beinke (1842 1907) has an estimate of 5,000-7,000. A rare oil on canvas The Derelict, off the Northumberland Coast by Sheffield-born Thomas Bush Hardy (1842-97) - one of the most successful and prolific marine and coastal artists, but more known for his watercolours, is estimated at 1,000-1,500, while Vessels making for Scarborough Harbour, also by Hardy, is again estimated at 1,000-1,500.Another painting that should attract local interest is Henry B Wimbushs View from Worthing Sports Ground, which is estimated at 500700. Paul Campbell, Auctioneer, commented: We feel very privileged to have been asked to sell the contents

of Worthings Premier hotel which has been a cornerstone of the towns history for almost a century. The sale will include a wide variety of objects, however we will not be selling the fixtures, fittings, lifts and revolving doors! Built in 1865, The Beach Hotel was originally a row of Victorian terraced houses and in the early 20 th century, William Wylie McAllister owned it and ran it as a nursing home. He subsequently bequeathed it in the 1920s to Winifred Farnes (the Great-Aunt of the present owner) and in 1935, the current Art Deco faade was added and it became the Beach Hotel. Members of the Canadian Army were based at the hotel during the Second World War, and due to its proximity to the coast, machine guns were positioned on the roof of the hotel. Over the years the hotel has played host to many interesting and well-known figures, who have been performing at the nearby theatres including Margaret Rutherford and Kenneth Moore as well as Politicians including Michael Howard. Managing Director, Jonathan Farnes, has been working at the hotel for the past 35 years, along with his sister, Linda Martin, said: Times have changed enormously since our family first took over the hotel and so have the requirements of our guests. While our current clientele continue to be delighted with the high standard of service we provide, it is becoming increasingly hard to attract new guests because they have different needs and expect a wider range of facilities. The building has done us a great service over the years, but it has reached a stage were it requires significant investment to take it forward. He continued: We have considered renovating it, but, because it was originally designed for another use a long time ago, there is a limit as to whats achievable and the cost would be astronomical. We need to think about the future of the hotel and we feel that the time is now right for us to take a step back and make way for a new chapter in its history. Although we will be sad when the time comes to say goodbye, we are genuinely excited about the proposed plans. Viewing: Thursday, September 15 10am-4pm Friday, September 16 10am4pm For further information on the sale, please call 01903 238989 or visit www.campbellsauctions.co.uk Notes to Editors: Paul Campbell founded Campbells in 2008, in his hometown of Worthing. Paul started his career at Ellis which is now the premises for Campbells. He was Head of the Collectors Department at Sothebys in Sussex and was subsequently an Associate Partner of Gorringes in Lewes. He holds auctions at his premises at 44 High Street, every 6 weeks.
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Next Sales: September 6, October 18 & December 13.

September 2011