Cllr Ian Ward, and the Ocean Hotel in Sandown. COUNCILLOR Ian Ward has apologised tonight after mistakenly announcing that Sandown's Ocean Hotel had been sold. He said negotiations were ongoing but it was premature to have said it had sold, and he was embarrassed by the blunder. He said the information he had been given contained a typo that had changed the nature of the message. He said: "I am sorry everybody, but my post last night saying that Ocean Hotel had been sold was premature. "However, it was the news I was expecting to receive, but the negotiations are ongoing. To say that I am disappointed and embarrassed is an understatement.