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Bournemouth: Royal London House

Named after its former occupants, Royal London Insurance, this building is on the acute corner of Holdenhurst and Christchurch Roads at SZ0991 : Bournemouth: The Lansdowne.

The previous building on the site was the Hotel Metropole, which was bombed on 23 May 1941 with the loss of many lives. Evidently, the enemy had discovered that it was a popular drinking spot with allied (particularly American) soldiers on Sundays during the War.

The building now comprises shops on the ground floor (Kentucky Fried Chicken, a sandwich bar, a newsagents and a recently closed branch of the HSBC bank) with offices on the floors above. The University occupied many of these but I am not sure whether it still does; Meridian TV have also broadcast from studios in the building, with the Lansdowne clock tower an instantly recognisable backdrop.