The Beginning Of The Beginning For The Grand

August 28, 2016 by Rob Kahl

The beginning of the beginning for The Grand

It seems as though we might finally be inching towards a conclusion to The Grand. The long awaited revised plans have been submitted by Mr Norcross and I am sure it will come as no surprise to him that they have received a mixed response.

The plans for 19 residential apartments plus ground floor restaurant with basement bar and heath spa are very different to the original idea of a boutique hotel that was mooted but like everything in life I presume that money spoke and being the successful business man that he is, Mr Norcross needed to come up with a plan that would be viable.

The Grand has for too long been a blot on our thriving Broadway and whilst Leigh on Sea has seen such a dramatic increase in popularity on a national scale with extensive features and surveys saying it is the best place to live or we are the happiest town in the U.K The Grand has stood derelict and almost become a bit of an embarrassment.

This is not how it should be. The Grand should be the jewel in our popular town, standing proud at the end of the Broadway, a busy, thriving property that is the focus of the area not the forgotten corner feeling sorry for itself and downcast. Surely even the biggest doubter has to admit that?

I can’t admit to knowing the details but I presume that the building is in such disrepair that many millions of pounds now need to be spent on it to bring it up to any type of habitable standards. If this is the case then it means an awful lot of initial outlay for a hotel and it would need an awful lot of full rooms and would take years for any sort of return on the capital outlay.

With a mix of residential apartments and commercial units I believe it will secure the properties future and I don’t think there is a single resident of Leigh on Sea that doesn’t want that?

The commercial units of a restaurant, bar and spa will once again provide an area for people to meet and enjoy and done well will soon become popular destinations for locals and people from out of the area visiting. This will bring further investment in to the town as well as employment which is excellent all round.

I must admit that a piece of me still misses the sticky carpet, loud music and extremely boozy nights spent at the original Grand but time waits for no man and again it would take a lot of students spending their loans on cheap larger to pay for the extensive refurbishments.

The 19 residential properties are the key to the buildings future. People buying apartments in the block will, l expect, have to pay annual maintenance & service charges and will together with the managing agent ensure that the building does not deteriorate again and fall in to disrepair.

As you might expect I am biased towards any (or at least most) residential developments in Leigh on Sea. It of course means that as Scott & Stapleton I have more opportunity to sell or let properties but first and foremost I am a resident of Leigh and I have an interest like everyone in what happens to the iconic Grand.

I think that the people objecting are being a little short sighted. Mr Norcross is prepared to take on this immense project at considerable risk to himself financially and his reputation and The Grand needs and deserves somebody prepared to invest heavily to bring this once proud property back to life.

The alternative doesn’t bear thinking about. A budget style Holiday Inn or Travel Lodge hotel with cheap and cheerful pub and restaurant on the ground floor. A national company with no consideration for Leigh on Sea or its history whose only consideration is the bottom line and making the most amount of profit, therefore doing a cheap refurbishment of the building to get it ip and running as quickly as possible.

My goodness, I didn’t realise I was such a snob!

Lets get behind these new plans and ensure they are pursued forward and work commences as soon as possible.