Bellevue Hotel, Dunbar 1994

Once the pride of East Lothian’s coastline, the Bellevue Hotel in Dunbar was a striking and ambitious building that stood as a monument to the golden age of seaside resorts. Overlooking the North Sea from Queens Road, the hotel opened in the late 1890s and remained a prominent local landmark for nearly a century before its decline and eventual demolition.

The Bellevue was commissioned by Helen Fleck, a hotelier and widow, and designed by the noted architectural partnership of James Bow Dunn and James Leslie Findlay. Built between 1895 and 1897, the hotel showcased a blend of Scottish Baronial and Arts and Crafts styles, complete with turrets, crow-stepped gables, bay windows and ornate plasterwork. It was as much a statement of personal ambition as it was a commercial venture.

What made the Bellevue especially remarkable was its symbolic design: 365 windows for the days of the year, 52 bedrooms for the weeks, 12 public rooms for the months, 7 bathrooms for the days of the week, and 4 storeys to represent the seasons. Its grandeur and coastal location made it a popular destination for wealthy Victorian and Edwardian tourists seeking fresh air and sea views.

Yet behind the opulence lay personal hardship. Helen Fleck endured the loss of her husband and several children, and although the hotel thrived for a time, changing tastes in tourism and the economic challenges of the 20th century gradually wore away its fortunes.

In 1989, tragedy struck when a devastating fire severely damaged the interior of the Bellevue. The building was left derelict and boarded up for years, its once-proud façade slowly decaying. Despite being granted Category B listed status in 1988, no viable restoration was ever undertaken. In February 2006, the decision was made to demolish the structure. A modern retirement housing development, Belle Vue Court, was later built on the site.