Skegness Magazine

Source: Skegness Standard 1950

SEVERAL hotels at Skegness have undergone great structural alterations and improvements within the last half-century or so, but none, probably approaching that of the Sea View Hotel.
Here is a picture of the original building, but how many years ago it is since the picture was secured we must leave our older readers to judge.

It was, at any rate, in the days when one could send a coloured post-card view of this and other Skegness scenes through the post for a half-penny.
The “truly rural” appearance of the foreground has long, ago given place to bricks and mortar, and include the Winter Gardens Circus, Uncle Arthur’s amusement arcade the Figure-8 Cafe and the Casino Skating Rink. Was the centre plot the hotel’s bowling green ? There are seats under the trees for spectators of some game or pastime.
That section of the promenade was any kind of amusement was located on the east side of North Parade.
This was, of course, long before fronted by a tubular iron fence similar to that on South parade, and opposite the hotel a flight of four stone steps leading from the promenade gave access to the beach, which was devoid of any structure save for a few bell-tents dotted along the sand hills.
The Figure-8 was the first seashore development at that end, this modern attraction supplanting the Switchback Railway which commenced where now is the entrance to the Imperial Cafe and ran for some distance along the frontage of the old Jungle.”
The wine-list of the Sea View Hotel offered patrons the choice of Fine Rich Burgundy or Delicate. Dry Chablis at 2s. 6d, the bottle or Is. 6d. the half-bottle. Wealthier or more fastidious patrons could have Sauterne (Soft. Smooth. Very Fine) at 3s. 6d. tile bottle and 2s. tile half-bottle. while for a really “slap-up do” there was Sparkling Muscatel (Rich Wine with delicious muscatel flavour). which set back purchasers 5s. for the bottle and 2s. 6d. for a half-bottle.

HAM AND EGGS 2s.
At a later date, after the North Shore golf links had been laid out.

Boarding terms at the hotel were :
September to June from 8s. 6d. per day. July and August 9s, 6d., while visitors’ servants yes, they used to bring servants with them in those days, were charged from 5s
6d. per day.

There is a footnote advising that the above prices only apply when visitors remain two days and upwards; for less time they will be charged by the meal.

Week-end terms. which included dinner on Saturday and breakfast on Monday were 17s.
Bedrooms (according to position) were from 3s. 6d sitting rooms 5s. per day, fires in bedrooms 1s hot baths 1s cold baths 6d and suites of rooms from £2 10s upwards.

The hotel had 80 bedrooms.
Breakfasts and teas were: Plain 1s with eggs 1s. 6d with cold meat 2s and chop or ham and eggs 2s Luncheons were 2s and dinners 3s. 6d. Refreshments and teas were also served on the roof garden at 6d. each.
Carriages and traps could be had on hire, and good stabling and carriage houses were available. The beer was drawn from the wood.

Those were the days – or were they?