James Gray: In 1925 the café was built between the road and the cliff, and the railings were erected at the cliff edge and along the road soon afterwards. The first house had been built a little earlier in 1923 or 1924, and was known as Tye Chalet. I am not sure of the year of this photograph but I should guess about 1926-27. jgc_32_172
2019: The much wider modern road (A259) has been set back some way from the edge of the cliff. Following the development of the seafront during the 1930s, the café was replaced by a more up-to-date building. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)
James Gray: When one could park a car on the coast road, looking towards Peacehaven. On the skyline, Butlins building looks uncompleted, so the period is probably 1938-39. jgc_32_176
2019: There is definitely no parking allowed on the busy coast road (A259) today and the pavement is much narrower. The Grand Ocean Hotel (as it was called at the time) was designed by the architect RWH Jones with the classic modern styling of the age and opened not long after Gray’s photograph was taken.
James Gray: Road widening in nearing completion. [See also jgc_32_178 on the Saltdean seafront page] jgc_32_179
2019: Looking west along the busy A259 coast road. Another major change has been the introduction of bus and cycle lanes to the road. (Photographer: Suzanne Hinton)