Everyone familiar with the 'Poirot ' series on TV will be aware of the design style associated with the 1920's and the 1930's ~ Bexhill's DE LA WARR PAVILION is seen as a great example of modernist architecture from this period.  At a time when architects were beginning to use new materials and consequently change the look that buildings could potentially have, Bexhill's Pavilion used steel, concrete and glass to create an exterior of large, smooth almost 'featureless areas' broken by curved glass and steel sections and large expanses of flat glass.

The De La Warr Pavilion, was opened in 1935, following a competition instigated by the Mayor of Bexhill at that time; (1932-1934), the 9th Earl De La Warr.  It was intended to be a Palace for the People set alongside the sea and at a time when many were travelling abroad to savour the scenery and climate of the Mediterranean coast, the Southern resorts of England were beginning to have to fight for the 'tourist trade'. 

In 1882, the 7th Earl De La Warr had been instrumental in building the seawall at Bexhill to protect the low lying marsh to the east of the town - and so began the rise of the town as a potential tourist resort.  The sea-walk that accompanied that project set the scene for the town to enter the round of development some decades later following the group of resorts that were building piers and esplanades ~ towns on the South coast such as Eastbourne, Brighton, Bournemouth and Portsmouth.  In 1934 the 9th Earl's rules for the competition stated that the design must contain a concert hall, a restaurant and conference rooms,