 Shortly after its opening, "The Architect and Building News" praised the centre's "magnificent views over the Downs and out to sea", as well as the thought that had gone into making the building ideal for the blind.The centre's residents included World War I veteran Henry Allingham, born 1896, who was briefly the oldest man in the world until his death in 2009.During the Second World War, the charity admitted those who had lost their sight through their work in the auxiliary services, women's services and munitions factories, besides service personnel from Poland, Netherlands, United States, Canada and South Africa.