Knocking down of Bristol’s Grosvenor Hotel ‘beginning soon’

The fire-wrecked Grosvenor Hotel near Bristol Temple Meads will be demolished ‘soon’, understands Bristol City Council which gave permission for the historic building to be knocked down four months ago today (August 14).

The former hotel was gutted by a huge fire started deliberately on October 18 last year. Since then the area around the site has been gated off with the pavement and cycle path temporarily moved onto the busy Temple Way.

In November, the building’s owner Earlcloud Ltd, was given a magistrate’s court order to bring the building down due to it being in a ‘fundamentally dangerous condition’. However, that was delayed by an application to the council by the owner, asking if planning permission was needed to demolish it.

On April 14, the council’s planning team said permission was not needed - and so the all-clear was given to pull down the site. But months on, the building still stands.

In a statement to Bristol World from Bristol City Council, a spokesperson explained the current situation. They said: “The building remains the responsibility of its private owner. Since the council secured a court order for the owner to make the building safe or demolish it, they have been awarded permission to demolish the building.

“We understand from the owner’s representative that work should be beginning soon and are continuing to monitor the situation.”

According to planning papers submitted earlier this year, it will take between six and eight weeks to bring down the huge building. A high reach exavator fitted with a hydraulic demolition pulveriser will be used. Welfare facilities and new site hoardings will also be introduced.

The hotel was once one of the grandest in the city, built in 1875 and designed by one of Brunel’s former assistants, architect S C Fripp. But after years of decline it closed in 1993 before being used as an emergency accommodation hostel. In more recent years it was occupied by squatters.

Although not owning the site, Bristol City Council has long had plans to redevelop the area the building sits with offices and cafes.