Thursday 19 January 2012

End of an Era

The last few days have seen the end of an era for the Collingwood Hotel in Ilfracombe.  It was bought back in 2007 by the Wetherspoons pub chain and has sat ever since waiting for the planners and developers to agree and decide its fate.  Eventually it has been agreed to rebuild it - still as a Hotel with a pub (for which Wetherspoons are best known)


During the years whilst planning was sought the Hotel has fallen into a sorry state



the side portion of the Hotel has already been taken down -


and the roof off another piece


and now they have started on the other side


they even have a machine that sprays water on it to keep the dust levels down




I'll follow this up with another post once the whole building is down.
I hope the site will be built on and not just left as an empty space but time will tell -

for now here's another photo of Ilfracombe



One of our rare sunny winter days




12 comments:

Pat said...

Fingers crossed that something new and beautiful does indeed rise from the ashes. Ilfracombe deserves that xx

ann @ studiohyde said...

Yes you are right Pat, it does deserve it and needs it.

Judy said...

Just what I was going to say: I hope they build something as beautiful as the old building was!

ann @ studiohyde said...

Exactly Judy, here's hoping.

Jane said...

Well, this is the way things go. Pat and Judy said it all :-)

ann @ studiohyde said...

With more of it gone today!....I have spoken to someone who lives opposite the site and he was very positive about a new building being there.

John (JWJarts) said...

I hate to see fine old buildings pulled down. Fingers crossed they have something good planned for it's replacement. Interesting post Ann.

robin cox walsh said...

So sad to see them tearing down the lovely old buildings isn't it? Such a loss! Here's to hoping they replace it with something wonderful!

ann @ studiohyde said...

Hopefully yes it will be a nice looking building John, difficult to decide from the plans. I have some more photos of the demolition which I'll be putting on here in a day or two.

ann @ studiohyde said...

Hi Robin, well as they say you can't stand in the way of progress! ...mind you by the way they are hacking it down, if you did stand in the way they would run you over!

~Kim at Golden Pines~ said...

There's something so lonely about empty houses and buildings, but I find them so interesting because they have such a history and stories to tell. I hope the new place that is being built will have just as much character and charm as the Collingwood Hotel did!

ann @ studiohyde said...

Hi Kim, from the plans I think the new building will look Art Deco rather than Victorian, and I am not a fan of Art Deco, but time will tell!