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Source: Skegness Standard 26th May 1975

Historic Hotel a Listed Building

Hildred’s Hotel with a 100 yards frontage on High Street Skegness has been made a listed building by the Environmental Department.

It will be added to the statutary list of buildings which must be preserved because of special architectural or historical interest.

The licencees, Mr and Mrs Charles and Vera Hunt, have received notification that the list is about to be given legal effect, after which copies will be deposited with the local council. They are asked for the hotel’s history so that it can be permenantly recorded.

Hildred’s was built in the early part of the 19th century and known as the ‘New Hotel’. At that time the Vine was the only other hotel in Skegness, though there may have been a Ship Hotel near the site of the present one. [webmaster’s note - the Ship Hotel was then in the boundaries of Winthorpe]

Originally there was said to be ‘a most extensive sea view’ from the New Hotel which marked the most eastern point of the old fishing village’s main street.

[The New Hotel] was renamed by Mrs Sarah Hildred who carried it on after the death of her husband, Joseph, one of the landlords around the middle of the century. She named it after him as it was no longer ‘new’.

In 1874, as a result of the coming of the railway, the hotel was enlarged, apparerntly by a rear extention.

It was still only about half its present length and the ornate pink, cream and white brick and carved stone facade was added at a much later date. This may have been around the time when the Lawn Cinema was built next to it after the First World War.

In due course, the cinema was closed down and incorporated into the hotel with shops in the front. It is now an entertainments room.

end of transcript

The article goes on to describe more about the facitities of the hotel and its ‘present’ owners.

So, in 1975 Hildred’s Hotel was made a listed building of historical interest, then WHY was it pulled down just twelve years later in 1987 to make way for the Hildred’s Shopping Centre?

Moreover,the legal documents being lodged with the town council, WHY did the Council allow it to be demolished?

Still moreover, WHO made the first symbolic gesture of the hotel’s demolition?

- Skegness’ own Jolly Fisherman of course!

Skegness Standard photo caption - Two of Skegness’ most famous feature, but one won’t be here for much longer. For the Jolly Fisherman took the first symbolic blow on the High Street Hotel this week…

…but that’s another story to follow soon!

more about the Hildred family history and genealogy

The 1975 newspaper article about the Hildred’s Hotel tells us of another building which was listed of historic interest. This was The Sycamores, a house owned by the Salvation Army, next to the Citadel on High Street, Skegness. The Sycamores was well over 100 years old and also formed part of the old village of Skegness.

The Sycamores has also now been demolished.

Just exactly what is the point of protecting buildings of historical interest by ‘listing’ them.

The system obviously does not work!

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