Work starts on £1.5m hotel refit

Work is expected to take one year to complete.

An 18th Century Wolverhampton hotel, which has stood empty for 25 years, will be refurbished thanks to a £1.5m rescue package.

The Molineux Hotel, which overlooks the Wolverhampton Wanderers football ground, closed its doors in 1979.

After an arson attack nine months ago, demolition seemed imminent, but a campaign was launched to save it.

Now Advantage West Midlands and Wolverhampton City Council have joined forces to fund the restoration.

John Yates, from English Heritage, described the building as "one of the most high profile buildings at risk in the West Midlands.

"The sooner it can live again and bring people pleasure the better," he said.

Wolverhampton City councillor Louise Miles said: "For us in Wolverhampton with our wealth of regeneration projects, the Molineux Hotel and its refurbishment is really a symbol of regeneration for the city."

Work has already started to renovate the building and is expected to take one year to complete.

The future of the building after that has yet to be decided.