Hotel Britannia

A state-of-the-nation look at modern Britain through the lens of a lasting emblem of grandeur, and decline ‘Today there is no one alive who remembers what it felt like when Great Britain was the richest country in the world. But there is a way to access that feeling. You just walk along the seafront of the medium-sized coastal town of Scarborough, and look up.’ Hotel Britannia reveals the true story of faded British glory through the iconic Grand Hotel in Scarborough, Britain’s first seaside resort, and its journey from a symbol of unprecedented wealth and power to a flashpoint in Britain’s nostalgia-ridden culture wars. Bee Rowlatt dives into the Grand’s past and present, interviewing far right protesters, Afghan asylum seekers, public intellectuals, and local celebrities – even working at the Grand as a cleaner – in search of what made Britain great, and what might make us great again.In a blend of social history and memoir, Rowlatt brings to light the intertwined destinies of a seaside community and its cherished architectural gem, now in the hands of Britannia, the 'UK's worst hotel chain' (Which?). What can this decaying icon tell us about who we were, and who we are? The story she uncovers is as much about our present as our past.This insightful tale of class, regional identity, and belonging is both a provocative look at our social history and, against all odds, a story of optimism and pride.