Carry on Girls (1973)

Clarges Hotel
Photo by Zoë Woods
Clarges Hotel
Photo by Zoë Woods

The old Clarges hotel can be found at 115-119 Marine Parade Brighton. It was famously used in the filming of the British comedy classic ‘Carry On Girls’. The hotel was once owned by Dora Bryan of Carry On fame. Still maintaining its original structure, the rooms of the hotel have been reconverted into flats, which are rented and owned by local Brighton residents.

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Comments about this page

  • Nice to see a picture on the internet of my flat in Brighton. Bought and restored the first floor balcony flat of 115 Marine Parade, seen on the far left hand side of the photo, with the windows open.

    By Miles Wybourn (22/02/2005)
  • I thought ‘Carry On Girls’ of 1973 – assuming I’m thinking of the right film – took place on Brighton’s West Pier, when the seaward end had already closed and the shoreward end (including the featured central Concert Hall) was just about to. But someone correct me if I’m wrong!

    By Sam Flowers (02/10/2005)
  • The guesthouse is also used in Carry on at Your Convenience as well as the Palace Pier. With regards to Carry on Girls, the beauty pageant and closing chase are the Palace Pier, with the entry shots being the West Pier.

    By Helen Owen (19/04/2006)
  • In Carry on Girls the entire filming was on the West Pier, although the seaward end had closed at the end of the summer season in 1970. The concert hall was still open, although only until September 1975, when the entire pier closed. The internal filmimg of the beauty pagent in Carry on Girls was not filmed on location, but was a mock up of the pier theatre at Pinewood Studios.

    By Danny Osborne (07/01/2007)
  • The end shot of ‘Carry on Girls’ was shot on the forecourt of the Pier where Sid James is on a go-cart and Babs Windsor is on a moped.

    By Wayne Wareham (23/07/2008)
  • I worked at Clarges Hotel in the late 1960s as a veg chef. I had a great time. My boss was Dora Bryan – a lovely lady to work for.

    By Maurice Owen (21/07/2011)
  • I remember going on holiday in the 60s with my mum and dad and staying at a hotel owned by Dora Bryan. I am sure it was called the Bryan Hotel. Would this be Clarges? I can vaguely remember the entrance but I thought it was on a side road. Perhaps I am mistaken – can anybody remember the hotel?

    By Graham Eccles (20/11/2011)
  • I stayed at Clarges in 1979 and 1980. Dora Bryan and her husband Bill were lovely and I have very fond memories. Brighton and Hove are still favourites to visit.

    By Jasmine Patience (24/03/2017)
  • I believe it was originally Katte’s hotel, which was owned by my great grandfather whose surname was Von Katte, and was subsequently changed without the Von because of it’s German sound. My grandmother ran the hotel and my aunt and mother both grew up in the hotel before being sent to boarding school in Scotland to protect the children from the risk of invasion or attack by the Germans in WW2. Am hoping someone would know more about this Hotel. Thank you

    By Valerie Etheridge (28/04/2017)
  • I worked at Clarges Hotel for Dora Bryan back in the ’80s. I got a kiss off Barbara Windsor and met celebrities such as Gerry Marsden, Rolf Harris, Jon Pertwee, Joan Turner and Gordon Jackson. Served tea and scones on the balcony at Clarges Hotel to Billy J Kramer. Best years, regards. 

    By Michael Holehouse (08/10/2018)
  • I spent my honeymoon here in 1970 and Dora and her family would come into the restaurant and she would always say Hello. It was silver service and we had afternoon tea served on a silver plate tea service. Was very sophisticated, I’ve still got the bill receipt.

    By Jan Ellis (14/11/2019)
  • Could someone please help me out? Am I right in thinking back in around 1990 there was a hydrotherapy pool within Clarges? My friend lived next door 113, I think and I’m sure I remember us using the pool there.

    By K Templeman (07/07/2020)
  • Incredible to hear all these great stories of Clarges Hotel, in the late 70’s Every Summer holiday’s my Nan would take me and my siblings to Brighton on a short holiday and we would stay at Clarges, I was about 10 years old at the time, when I look back on it my Nan who knew Dora Bryan was in her own way
    trying to culture us with the silver service dinners & all the famous & posh residents and magical atmosphere which stays with me till this day !

    By Damon Goss (09/08/2021)
  • I used to live next door to the hotel in grosvenor house and used to see Dora and her husband Bill quite often. Both very lovely people.

    By Mike McLeod (20/07/2022)
  • My Beloved Mum and Dad, and me, were friends of Dora Bryan and her Husband Bill. My parents were in showbusiness as I was. I started my career at the Oldham Repertory Theatre, where I was born and lived. Even though they are no longer with us, I think the world of Dora and Bill to this day. When we were in Seaford / Newhaven, we would visit Dora at The Clarges. There was a big grand piano in the lounge, with a Resident Pianist. I recall Mum and Dora doing a duet, ‘The Lady Is A Tramp’. Dora and Bill had a little dog called ‘Dougal’. Such happy, happy days. I wish they were back. I would give anything to turn back the hands of time.

    By Chris Byrne (08/07/2023)

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