Seaside hotel run by four generations of same family closes down

A prominent coastal hotel and bar in East Yorkshire is closing down after nearly 90 years of trading.

The Expanse Hotel and Marine Bar, in North Marine Drive, Bridlington, has been run by four generations of the same family after being developed by Edmond Cooper Briggs in 1937.

The family has blamed “difficult trading conditions” for the closure.

A statement by the hotel’s owners said the decision had been taken with “great sadness”, explaining that the business would continue to operate its apartments and residential flats.

The statement adds: “We would like to express our gratitude to each and every one of you who have supported us over the years.

“We now ask for your understanding and patience as we work to support our team.”

Edmond Cooper Briggs, the hotel’s founder, was a builder from Horsforth, near Leeds.

He enjoyed visiting Bridlington each year with his family. In the early 1930s, while on holiday, he decided the town would benefit from having a new, modern hotel.

Briggs’s original vision led to the construction of a 37-bedroom hotel, which officially opened in March 1937.

The hotel was requisitioned by the Government during the Second World War and used to accommodate military personnel. It today features 48 bedrooms and three bars.