Claremont Hotel: Investigation into devastating Eastbourne fire ongoing

The seafront has been paralysed ever since the devastating fire which ripped through the historic building on November 22.

Roads including Grand Parade remain closed and it is not clear when they will be open again.

While overnight on Thursday (December 5) an interior section of wall crumbled, just a week after the rear wall collapsed. It is also still not known what caused the fire and if or when the Grade II* listed building will be demolished.

But one piece of positive news is the Burlington Hotel, next to the Claremont, reopened on Monday (December 9). The owners said in a statement, “Although there was no damage to the Burlington Hotel, we were advised to close to allow work to continue at the Claremont.

“We have now been advised that we can reopen and are looking forward to welcoming guests.”

The hotel had been closed since the day of the fire and emergency services have been working around the clock to maintain safety in the area.

Meanwhile, Daish’s Holidays, which owns the Claremont Hotel, said all guests who were staying at the hotel at the time of the fire should have now received a letter outlining the insurance claim process.

For guests who do not have valid holiday insurance or suitable personal insurance, the company says it will refund 50 per cent of their costs as a gesture of goodwill.

A spokesperson said, “We are still awaiting the results of the fire investigation.

“Until such time as the cause is established, our insurers are unable to identify liability, which will delay the processing of any claims against third parties.”

Contact the company on 01202 638847 or [email protected].