The changing face of Kingsway.

These semi-detached properties, only one still occupied, are just to the west of Viceroy Lodge on the corner with Hove Street. Only last year the last house to the east of Hove Street was replaced with a block of flats - "the Mirage". Now the inexorable march of the developers looks set to resume. My early architectural tastes were influenced by ownership of a "Bayko" building-set with which one could build 1930's style, elegant bow-fronted houses with red-tiled roofs, so I am always sad to see these perfectly good homes demolished. One hopes that some at least will be saved for future generations to admire, just as we now admire the buildings of earlier eras.

Just out of the photo to the left is the Princes Marine 'Best Western' Hotel is on the site of Hove College, which closed in 1980, and in spite of being a going concern, is looking somewhat shabby.  Further west on the corner of Princes Crescent is another boarded up property which is shown below. In the 1950's it was a Nurse's Home but subsequently became a Retirement Home until it was 

vacated a few years ago.

The attractive mixed flint & brick wall looks as if it dates from the original properties. It will need keeping an eye on or, directly the builders get on site, it will come down quicker than you can say 'Tescos'.