Council orders demolition of fire-damaged Scarborough Marine Residence hotel

The fire-ravaged Marine Residence Hotel, in Scarborough, which is to be demolished.
The fire-ravaged Marine Residence Hotel, Scarborough. Credit: North Yorkshire Council

A former hotel left gutted by fire will be demolished after attempts to contact the owner failed.

North Yorkshire Council said it had no choice but to order the removal of the Marine Residence Hotel, on Belmont Road.

Demolition work will begin on Monday 30 October and is scheduled to be completed by Christmas.

The building was deemed unsafe by North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service after a blaze broke out in the early hours of 16 July.

The privately-owned hotel was empty at the time.

Further damage caused during Storm Babet combined with a lack of action from the owner prompted the council to use its powers to appoint a contractor to demolish the building.

The rear of the former Marine Residence Hotel in Scarborough, which was gutted by fire and is to be demolished. Credit: North Yorkshire Council

Karl Battersby, the council’s corporate director for environment, said: "Keeping the general public safe is paramount, and given the structural damage to the privately-owned building, which has been exacerbated by Storm Babet, demolition must begin imminently.

"We therefore have no choice but to carry out the work ourselves, make the site safe, and allow us to reopen the roads in the area so that local residents and businesses can continue to go about their lives safely.

"We have tried numerous attempts to get in touch with the property freeholder and for them to take action, but due to a lack of communication the time has now come to address this ourselves."

Following the demolition of the building and the site being made safe, Belmont Road and lower Ramshill Road (between Belmont Road and Valley Road) will re-open.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.