Denton and all he did for Worthing – has it all been forgotten?

He had no wife or children and felt he could do no better than to devote his wealth to the town where had spent most of his life.

Indeed, during his lifetime, Mr Denton, four times mayor of Worthing and freeman of the borough, gave Denton Gardens to the town in 1922 and in July 1933, he gave £40,000 to enable the Assembly Hall to be built.

But what we are focusing on today is a piece of his history that seems to have lost its link to its founder – the Denton Lounge, now called Pavilion Atrium.

The bar and restaurant was built on to the side of the Pavilion Theatre and funded out of Mr Denton’s bequest to the Worthing Corporation. When the Denton Lounge was officially opened on July 31, 1959, hundreds of people gathered outside to watch.

Photographer David Nicholls, who was there to take pictures for the Worthing Gazette, remembers it well and questions the recent name change.

He said: “Why has the name of the Denton Lounge been replaced with the title Pavilion Atrium? The building was opened in 1959 after a bequest by James Gurney Denton, who was mayor of Worthing from 1908-10 and again from 1922-24.

“As a grocer, he had purchased Chandlers in South Street in 1883 and several other shops in Sussex. His success enabled him to buy seafront land – now Denton Gardens – for the town, together with the Assembly Hall.

“All three attractions are still enjoyed by the town. These pictures, taken by me for the Worthing Gazette, show the official opening of the Denton Lounge on July 31, 1959, by mayor of Worthing Councillor Horace Bradley, accompanied by the mayoress Mrs Bradley.

“The ceremony of the opening of the main door was watched by hundreds of people. A bronze bust of James Denton is displayed in the Assembly Hall, with a smaller version in the Denton Lounge.”