Fire hotel demolition petition

The emergency planning meeting will be held on 17 April

Businesses have demanded that a disused hotel ravaged by fire in a seaside town is knocked down.

Traders claim road closures still in place in Tenby following last month's blaze at the Royal Gatehouse Hotel have led to a dramatic fall in takings.

Pembrokeshire national park authority has called an emergency meeting about the listed building next week.

But it has warned there are "severe constraints" on demolishing it if parts of the structure can be saved.

A petition calling for the hotel to be knocked down has been organised by Stephen Williams, manager of the Royal Playhouse cinema.

He said: "I have been around every business in Tenby and spoken to the owners and the staff and all but two companies have signed - I've over 300 signatures so far.

"To my mind if they try to save what is left it will incur massive scaffolding towers to support what is there and it is still going to block the two main arterial roads that bring people into Tenby."

Tourism season

Businessman David Randall said: "The downturn in business has been considerable. I think most businesses are about 50% down on their normal takings.

"Effectively we can only get small deliveries via a shuttle service into Tenby but the biggest problem is there are very few customers in Tenby because of the road closures."

Pembrokeshire Council, which has put on hold plans to put scaffolding around the building to make it safe pending the outcome of next week's meeting, said it shared the traders concerns.

Civil contingencies manager Richard Brown said: "If demolition becomes an option, it is the one the council would pursue in the best interests of Tenby."

The park authority stressed no decision had yet been made.

A spokesman said: "Until this meeting takes place, no decision has or will be taken on the future of the Royal Gatehouse building, contrary to reports being circulated locally."

It said it shared the concerns at the impact the building had on the economic and social life of Tenby - especially in the build-up to the tourism season.

But it said it was bound by severe constraints imposed by the Listed Buildings Act, particularly in relation to the demolition of listed buildings that may be capable of being rebuilt or restored.

Two men have been released on police bail pending further enquiries into the cause of the fire.