Owner of derelict Bristol's Grosvenor Hotel ordered by court to demolish it or make it safe

The company that owns the Grosvenor Hotel in Bristol has been ordered to make the building safe within five weeks.

Bristol City Council took Earlcloud Ltd, which owns the building, to court saying the derelict site is in a "fundamentally dangerous condition" after it was damaged in a fire on 18 October.

Bristol Magistrates' Court gave Earlcloud Ltd until the end of the year to demolish the former hotel or make it structurally safe.

In a statement following the hearing, the council told ITV News West Country said an exclusion zone around the building cannot be reduced until the building is safe.

They said this will allow people to access public roads, cycleways and footpaths which have had to be closed on health and safety grounds.

They added: "Council officers will remain in discussion with the owner to ensure action is taken quickly and appropriately in accordance with the order."

Earlcloud Ltd has been given the option of demolishing dangerous parts of the building, but all debris that the demolition work creates must be cleared.

The property is privately owned but has been empty for 20 years.

Following years of debate as to what should happen to the former hotel, Bristol City Council revealed plans to acquire it via a compulsory purchase order in November 2018.

Despite the damage to the building, the council says it still wants to continue with plans surrounding its redevelopment.