A historic seaside hotel in Tywyn faces demolition due to severe structural damage
Tywyn: A seaside hotel has big holes and is in bad shape. The Corbett Arms has been empty for years, and now it might need to be torn down. This is to keep people safe.
Last Wednesday, engineers and council staff checked the hotel. They found it so unsafe that emergency services were told to stay away. This is serious, especially if there’s a fire or accident.
Locals are worried about the hotel’s decline. It used to be a popular spot, even hosting John Lennon and Yoko Ono in 1969. Now, it’s just a shadow of its former self.
Two years ago, the council labeled it a “dangerous structure.” But since the ownership is stuck in probate, they can’t do much to fix it.
Councillor John Pughe thinks demolition is the only option left. However, they need court approval first. The hotel is Grade II-listed, which complicates things further.
Recently, after Storm Eowyn, part of the hotel’s wall fell down. Cllr Pughe said, “It’s in a really bad state.” The walls are bowing, and there are cracks everywhere.
Building control officers say the gas and electricity should be cut off. The hotel has been fenced off since early 2023, but the council fears losing the money spent on safety measures.
In 2020, a local man started a petition to have the hotel bought by the council. It got over 1,800 signatures, but nothing happened.
Urban explorers have shared videos showing the hotel’s decay. There’s vegetation in the bar area, and some walls have collapsed. It looks creepy and abandoned.
The hotel was listed in the 1970s, which limits what can be done with it. It’s now on a list of endangered buildings, and the charity Save Britain’s Heritage is concerned about its condition.
Water is getting into the building, making it even weaker. Locals are upset, especially those who celebrated special events there.
People remember how the hotel was once a vibrant part of the town. If it’s demolished, there won’t be much left of the town’s history.
In the past, there were buyers interested in the hotel, but probate issues stopped them. If it goes, only a few structures funded by the Corbett family will remain.
