Brighton Grand Hotel: 'I immediately knew it was a bomb'

The Brighton Grand Hotel Bombing: A Night of Survival and Memory Over three decades ago, the Brighton Grand Hotel, a landmark in the heart of Brighton's picturesque seaside, became the scene of one of the most harrowing attacks in British history. It was an incident that would forever change the lives of those involved and leave an indelible mark on the nation's collective memory. This article brings forth the personal accounts and reflections of those who were caught in the maelstrom of the bombing, sharing their memories of that frightful night with BBC. In the early hours of October 12, 1984, the serenity of Brighton was shattered by a devastating explosion. The target was the Brighton Grand Hotel, hosting the Conservative Party's annual conference, attended by the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her Cabinet. The bomb, planted by the IRA, was an assassination attempt on Thatcher and her government, a stark reminder of the tumultuous political climate of the time. "I immediately knew it was a bomb," one survivor recalls, the memory of the explosion still vivid in their mind. The blast occurred at 2:54 AM, tearing through the hotel's facade and leaving a gaping hole where rooms once stood. Guests were catapulted from their beds, and parts of the hotel collapsed, trapping people under rubble. The once grand hotel was reduced to a scene of chaos and destruction in a matter of seconds. Among the chaos, personal tales of survival and heroism emerged. People who were there