A remarkable gathering of members of the Lamb family who have overseen the running of the Pompano Beach Club since the mid-1950s has celebrated the 50th anniversary of the South Shore hotel.

The club resort has remained in the family's hand since it opened up in 1956 as the Island's first fishing club that allowed visitors using the fishing lodge to go out for a spot of deep sea fishing and return to enjoy their freshly caught fish in the club's small dining room.

Over the years the club grew with additional buildings and by the early 1960s it had developed into a small hotel.

Tom Lamb Jr. and his wife Jean were co-founders and ran the business until the early 1980s when Mr. Lamb passed away.

The couple's daughter Aimee and her soon-to-be husband David Southworth took over in 1982 and were joined four years later by the youngest of the Lamb sons, Larry.

Since 1989 Larry and his older brother Tom Lamb III have been the joint management team.

The continuity maintained by having one family run the resort and the loyalty of long-serving staff and repeat-visit guests have been the greatest strengths of the hotel, according to Mr. Tom Lamb.

Many of those who have helped make the hotel a success were invited to a cocktail celebration at the hotel's new Ocean Grill restaurant.

"We had about 100 people for cocktails. That included hoteliers, repeat guests, long-serving staff and suppliers," said Mr. Lamb.

Eleven of the longest serving employees were given a gift of an engraved mantle clock in recognition of their loyalty.

The longest serving staff member is chambermaid Oriel Bassett who started at the hotel in February 1969.

She was not able to attend the event but other long-serving members who have been staff for up to 28 years were present. Fifteen members of the Lamb family attended the gathering.

Mr. Lamb said: "My father bought into the business in 1956 and bought it outright in 1957. It has been our passion and we want to be here of many, many years."

This year has been a good season for the hotel in Southampton with a new spa and 14 extra guests rooms being added to bring the total up to 74.

Of the new restaurant, Mr. Lamb said: "We had to have a second restaurant because of all those new rooms.

"It was a milestone to reach our 50th anniversary so we wanted to celebrate with the entire family and a lot of the people who have been part of our history. It is a way for us to say thank you."