Unique Floatel 'could have been saved' (From Northwich Guardian)

Unique Floatel 'could have been saved'

5:40pm Thursday 19th November 2009

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A NORTHWICH man is angry demolition of the Floatel started before he had a chance to give his views.

Public objections to the demolition of the derelict hotel had to be in by last Friday, November 13, but contractors started to demolish the building a week before that date.

And Terry Thompson, 56, of Queen Street, said he wanted to object to the demolition but was angry that the work had already started to knock it down before the date the council had set for objections.

“To me this is an abuse of the planning process,” he said.

“I understand a business has failed and I understand the building is in disrepair but I believe it is unique.

“The building could have been refurbished but it’s clear the owners didn’t want that.”

Terry said he thought there were better alternatives than dismantling the building. “I would have liked to have seen it turned into something else,” he said.

“It is in a prime position that could have seen it turned into office space, plus it has a car park.

“And it would get businesses into the centre of Northwich. I understand the need for a hotel is not necessarily a going concern but office space, yes.

“At the end of the day, a lick of paint would have solved it.

“I know the Floatel was sinking but so was the Anderton Boat Lift and the Hayhurst Bridge. The Floatel has a lot of history – it is unique to Northwich.”

A spokesperson for British Waterways said: “Demolition of the Floatel was brought forward on safety grounds.

“The building has been sinking since it was vacated and represented a growing safety and health hazard to the public and traffic on the River Weaver. The hotel had suffered sustained damage by vandalism and had sunk two feet below the level which it was originally built.

“Emergency services and local authority environmental health teams agreed on the importance of its removal as soon as possible, with the structure described as a ‘death trap’ by one Northwich police officer.

“British Waterways quickly stepped in to fund clearance of this prime waterfront site, which forms an integral part of Northwich Vision.

“Initial work involved the removal of internal fixtures and fittings, before demolition proper of the structure began. ”

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