(All 24.7.2011 copyright Steve Sainsbury)
It was always going to be controversial, dropping a modernist vision in harsh metal onto a traditional British seaside promenade, and I know this divides opinion more than anything. Me? I love the design from the back (the bottom photograph), not so keen on the front.
Since I moved from LA in 1990 I can be as close as possible to an objective observer! My wife and I travel a lot around the world and we've visited a lot of interesting restaurants. Some good, some bad! We were hungry and wanted to eat so we dropped in. (Remember this was six years ago). We're vegetarian so get used to limited choice - and the choice was limited! The food was also quite average. Really a place like this needs to be special in every department. Hopefully it's changed a but since 2011. In the right direction of course.
As kids this whole area was part of our stamping ground, climbing on the roofs of the old beach shelters, going out on Winkle Island and trying to get trapped, watching the bonfire grow and then burn over a couple of weeks. Things are always changing, it's how we know we're alive. Have we been back since 2011? No, but then again we don't get to LA too often these days ...
