Cellar found under fire-ravaged hotel

Shedden Hall Hotel was damaged by fire last month

An investigation is being carried out into the safety of the road after an arson attack at the disused Shedden Hall Hotel at Torquay.

The damaged building near the road was demolished after it was declared unsafe, and investigations of the site revealed a cellar reaching under Shedden Hill.

A path for pedestrians has been reopened, but the road is expected to remain closed to traffic while the safety of the road structure is assessed.

Meanwhile Torbay Council officials are in talks with the owner of the site about its future which was due to be redeveloped for new homes.

Torbay Council cabinet member Mike Morey said on Monday: “Heavy equipment is being brought in to clear the site of the debris, to be able to investigate the extent of the cellar which certainly reaches under the pavement area.

“The road is expected to remain closed for the rest of this week, until we are absolutely confident it is safe.”

More than 50 firefighters tackled the blaze which was reported just before 7am on Tuesday, June 4.

The fire produced a thick column of smoke which could be seen across Torbay and left the Victorian villa badly damaged.

The former hotel which closed around nine years ago was being redeveloped for flats and houses.

Councillors and Torbay MP Kevin Foster had raised concerns about a delay to work starting on the derelict site which was given planning permission in May 2017.

A local building company was given approval to convert the main building into four flats, demolish modern extensions and build seven houses in the grounds.

Work was understood to have started at the site before the fire.

No one was injured in the incident which police said was being investigated as arson.