Council Mandates Safety Measures for Historic Droitwich Spa Hotel

Wychavon District Council has obtained a court order, issued on Tuesday, mandating the owner of a historic former hotel to ensure the building’s safety by the following month. The order specifies that the owner of the Raven Hotel in Droitwich Spa must finalize required work on the listed property by December 8. Live Urban Two Limited, the owner, is required to re-establish support props on the ground floor to avert any additional collapse of the first floor. Councillor Richard Morris stated: “We aren’t prepared to take any chances when it comes to protecting the public and we aren’t prepared to lose an important town asset.” This recent legal action stems from an event on September 24, when sections of the guttering from the part of the structure slated for demolition detached and fell onto the roadway. The owners have also been directed to put up temporary netting to prevent tiles and other debris from falling into the street, and to carry out any additional tasks deemed essential by the council. The property, a Grade II listed building, ceased operations as a hotel over ten years ago and possesses planning permission for the development of new residences, a brine bath, and a gin bar. In July, the district council had previously issued a seven-day notice to the owner, requesting confirmation of when the work would commence. Subsequently, the council served an informal notice to the owner, instructing them to complete safety work on the building by October 25 at the latest. Although workers were observed at the site, the authority reported no evidence of the work being completed, which led to the pursuit of the court order. Councillor Richard Morris commented: “We’ve given the owner several opportunities to put the right measures in place to ensure the building is properly protected. “Despite being given repeated assurances, they haven’t taken sufficient action and our patience has now run out.”