Names on the buses

312 Frederick Gordon

Connections with Brighton and Hove : When the Hotel Metropole was built in 1890, it was the biggest outside London. It had more than 300 bedrooms and the latest in luxury including electric light. The building of the Grand in the 1860s had attracted many wealthy people to Brighton but the Metropole surpassed it in style. It cost £57,000 to build, an enormous sun for those days. But Frederick Gordon, owner of the Gordon Hotel Group, was determined to have nothing but the best. He commissioned Alfred Waterhouse, leading architect of the day, to design it. But not everyone liked the red brick building which contrasted strongly with the cream colour prevalent on the seafront. Gordon was also plagued by labour disputes which eventually led to the formation of Brighton Trades Council. He wanted Brighton to be as glamorous as the other cities where his hotels were based including London, Monte Carlo and Cannes. Cordon largely succeeded and the Metropole helped Brighton enter a new era of prosperity The Metropole has had several different owners since those early days.

312 Alexander Dennis Enviro - carried name since September 2019.