IRA bombing at Hilton Hotel, London

As a lad I can remember the scary IRA bombings in the 1970s and 80s. Most of them seem to happen down in London, a city I wouldn’t visit till I was about 35 years old. A bomb exploded inside the foyer of Hilton Hotel on Park Lane in London and here I am stood outside it (too scruffy to go inside.)

On Friday 5th September 1975 at about 11:15 the Provisional IRA telephoned the Daily Mail newspaper warning them that a bomb had been left in the hotel and it would explode in ten minutes. They informed Scotland Yard Police Station immediately and three officers were sent to investigate. Not enough time had been given though and the bomb exploded at 12:18pm. After the explosion the police cleared the area not knowing if there was a second bomb about to explode at any time (there wasn’t one.)

The blast caused extensive damage to the hotel. The windows of neighbouring shops shattered. Later on the hotel said they were not given any warning but the Metropolitan Police said they were on the phone to them when the bomb exploded.

This was the first IRA act of terror since the Birmingham pub bombings ten months previously and it marked the start of a renewed bombing campaign. Three men who had been in the lobby when the bomb exploded suffered severe hearing damage and sued the hotel alleging they were negligent for failing to evacuate the place. The High Court action was settled the case thirteen years later on undisclosed terms. Seventeen years later in September 1992 the IRA planted another bomb in the toilet on the ground floor but the blast caused little damaged.

The 46-year-old singer from the Cranberries Dolores O'Riodon was staying here when she drowned in the bath while deeply drunk. I read Keith Richards created the guitar chord for Satisfaction while staying here. That alone deserves a salute. I did one and left.