Neighbouring on to The Albion Hotels eastern side was the Royal Eye Infirmary. Taking over what was the beautiful Georgian Buckland House in 1844.
Although adapted and expanded, in 1900 the building became too small for the Royal Eye Infirmary and so in 1900 it moved to a purpose built home near the train station on the Mutley Plain side of town – now converted into flats but still a beautiful example of Victorian architecture.
George Fowler, who had owned The Albion Hotel for almost 20 years at that time, expanded into the building, renaming it ‘Fowler’s Hotel’. The application was approved on the 10th April 1900 and architect B Priestley-Shires set to work with George on the new look hotel; by 1904 the two hotels were in business under the collective banner of The Albion and Continental Hotels. The Albion, which stood as an impressive square construction now completely adjoined to the Continental Hotel thanks to B Priestley-Shires.