Fire-hit hotel to be knocked down

Pembrokeshire Council will now demolish the building

A disused hotel ravaged by fire in a seaside resort will be knocked down.

Traders in Tenby had collected over 300 signatures for a petition calling for The Royal Gatehouse Hotel to be razed saying road closures had hit business.

At a meeting of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority members backed their calls on the grounds the building was an immediate danger to the public.

Although the prominent seafront hotel was listed, they said it was the "only practical solution."

The building was badly damaged by the fire over the Easter weekend and safety fears over the remaining structure have meant road closures have remained in place.

'Obvious sadness'

Traders claimed it had put-off visitors and disrupted deliveries.

Chairman of the authority Simon Hancock said: "Authority officers have been heavily involved in reviewing the situation over recent weeks and the authority is delighted to have reached its conclusion to support demolition.

"There is obvious sadness, however, in the loss of such an important Grade II listed building which has been a part of the Tenby landscape for so long.

"We are all extremely aware of the impact of the situation on the community and economy of Tenby and we hope that there will now be a swift resolution to the situation to enable life in Tenby to return to normal as soon as possible."