Ipswich hotel may not be restored to former use, says owner
A developer has said an empty town centre hotel will need substantial investment before it can be used again.John Howard, who has purchased the Great White Horse Hotel in Ipswich, said it would be a "real challenge" to restore the building to its former use.He said he was "open to ideas" for its future and admitted it may not reopen as a hotel.Mr Howard said he hoped the empty shop units on the ground floor would be occupied by tenants within a year.
The Great White Horse Hotel was open as recently as 2024, but appeared to close at short notice.The High Street facing part of the building was previously home to a major cafe chain and outdoor equipment shop, but the units have been empty for more than five years.It was once known as the town's main lodging house and even welcomed Charles Dickens; helping to inspire his novel, The Pickwick Papers.
In 2024, the Great White Horse Hotel community interest company (CIC) was awarded £99,400 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund for renovation works.Mr Howard said he would not be working with the CIC in the future, but invited "anybody in the community whose interested" to be involved. He has been involved in a number of other developments in Ipswich, having bought The Mill for £1 in 2024.Mr Howard was also involved in the "wine rack" development, which was eventually turned into flats.
Mr Howard said the building was looking "very sad for itself" and that he was keen to bring it back in to use.He purchased the site from an investment company. "It's sat here for so long, it's got so many memories for so many people," he told the BBC."We really need to get this occupied."The hotel is listed as a Grade II* building by Historic England.Mr Howard said he was hoping to work with Ipswich Borough Council and said he "might well need some support from the local authority to get it up and running again".Ipswich Borough Council was contacted for comment.
Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Telegraph
Labour council threatens historic London pub's beer garden
A Labour-run council has ordered an historic pub to scrap part of its riverside beer garden. The outdoor area at the Trafalgar Tavern, by the Thames in Greenwich, south-east London, has regularly been named one of the best in Britain. But the 19th century pub has now been served with an enforcement notice to remove about half its outdoor seating after the Royal Borough of Greenwich, which caused anger by restricting ice-cream sales earlier this year, said there had been complaints about access for pedestrians, wheelchair users and families with pushchairs. Landlord Frank Dowling, who is appealing against the notice, said he could be forced to lay off staff if the council gets its way. The 56-year-old added: 'If you don't have tables and chairs there, you're going to have tons of people standing around drinking. Vertical drinking is not something that works for us. That causes a different problem. It means we'll get more drinkers and fewer families. 'Without the tables, we won't need as many staff for table service. We also won't serve as much food, which means we won't need as many people in the kitchen.' The Grade II-listed pub, which opened in 1837 and was once a favourite spot of Charles Dickens, serves customers on traditional wooden benches along the Thames Path, a narrow walkway on the bank of the river. The pub uses a cobbled section of the path known as the ramp and the knuckle after receiving permission to put out tables and chairs in the daytime from the council in 2005. But in March the authority issued an enforcement notice that ordered the pub to to stop using the land for drinking and dining and to remove all seating, umbrellas and tables. In the notice, the council said there had been 'a material change of use' of the area without planning permission. A council spokesman confirmed that there had been 'some complaints' about the seating and stressed the importance of accessibility for 'people in wheelchairs, the elderly or people with pushchairs'. Mr Dowling, who has been the landlord since 2001, insisted the pub had not changed the way it used the area. He has appealed to the council's planning inspectorate and continued to use the contested land while the order is on hold during the appeal process. A council spokesman said: 'Whilst it's not always appropriate to comment on individual cases, we know that the Trafalgar Tavern is a much-loved, historic venue – but we have had some complaints about the extended outdoor seating onto the Thames Path, and so there needs to be a balance. 'The Thames Path is very narrow, and it's important that everyone can use it easily, including people in wheelchairs, the elderly or people with pushchairs. There are planning policies in place that we need to follow, but we're confident we'll find a sensible solution that doesn't stop people enjoying the pub's view or using the Thames Path.' It is not the first time the Trafalgar Tavern has had a run-in with the authority. In 2021, it was denied a licence extension to sell alcohol on an additional two floors following complaints from neighbours that it risked becoming like a nightclub.
BBC News
29-05-2025
- BBC News
Ipswich County Hall sells after two unsuccessful auctions
A Grade II listed building that had fallen into disrepair has been sold after two unsuccessful County Hall on St Helen's Street was put to auction by Savills on 13 May and again on Wednesday, but failed to attract a Tudor-style building came with planning permission to convert the site into 40 new Savills have confirmed a buyer had been found post-auction. "We're pleased to have successfully secured a buyer for the historic Ipswich County Town Hall," Sam Steinberg, of Savills Auctions, said."The sale was agreed post-auction and achieved a price just shy of its guide." The first auction earlier this month had a reserve price of £895,000, but this was not Wednesday, the bidding similarly did not meet a lower reserve of £750,000, although a bid of £745,000 was made.A spokesperson for Ipswich Borough Council added: "It's good to hear that a buyer for County Hall has been found. We encourage them to discuss their plans with the Council as soon as possible."County Hall was where the divorce of Wallis Simpson was granted in 1936 before her marriage to the then King Edward site dates back to 1837 and originally served as a prison and law court before becoming a council building from 1906. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
North Wales Live
29-05-2025
- North Wales Live
Beauty spot overwhelmed with volunteers after fallout from holiday park firm's administration
Local residents have offered to help with the maintenance of an Anglesey beauty spot now that its owners have entered administration. Campaigners were worried the picturesque Penrhos Coastal Park could deteriorate but volunteers have flooded in from nearby Holyhead. The overwhelming response followed the loss of a contractor that had managed the picturesque site for 25 years. Kehoe Countryside, from Talybont in Gwynedd, was told its services were no longer needed by DJC Leisure, a 79th Group subsidiary that, in January, acquired 18 parcels of Penrhos CP land from former site owner Land and Lakes. On May 2 the Southport-based company was placed in administration. In an online message to the Penrhos supporters, Kehoe Countryside claimed it was owed more than £23,000 and its Penrhos wardens hadn't been paid. Since 2011, the 200-acre coastal park has been at the centre of a bitter planning dispute after consent was awarded for almost 500 luxury lodges, bars and a 'tropical swimming pool'. DJC Leisure had announced a £250 million development starting this summer but the company's collapse into administration, allied to a police investigation, has placed the park's future in limbo. Get the best island stories from our Anglesey newsletter - sent every Friday Keen to ensure the park's bins were emptied, a plea was issued for local volunteers. 'I had private messages through the night, it was incredible,' said Penrhos stalwart Hilary Paterson-Jones. 'As well as offers to help with the bins, people said they would bring ride-on mowers to cut the grass. Others volunteered to maintain fencing on the park. They will have to do at their own risk as they won't be covered by insurance.' Since then, joint administrators for DJC Leisure have funded the re-employment of a single warden to empty bins and open the park toilets - but not to man the entrance gates, which will stay open around the clock. To support his efforts, 90 locals got together last weekend to stage a community litter pick in the park's woodland and on its beach. The news came amid delayed plans to launch a Community Interest Company (CIC). Now set to be constituted tomorrow (Thursday, May 29) with seven local directors, this will explore opportunities that may arise from the collapse of DJC Leisure. Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now Ultimately, this could even culminate in a community bid to buy the land to ensure its original remit is not diminished. 'That is our dream,' said Hilary Paterson-Jones. 'Much depends on the outcome of criminal cases – we've been told this could take up to a year or even longer. "The CIC will enable us to start formal fundraising with the ultimate ambition of purchasing the park. Were that to happen, I honestly believe things will have turned full circle: when the park first opened, it was the local community that made it into what it is today.' As rescinding planning consent is unlikely, the new CIC will be examining other avenues to block attempts to build a holiday complex on the site. It will also explore alternative revenue opportunities amid concerns that the loss of a treasure amenity will go hand in hand with the destruction of woodland that's a refuge for red squirrels. Fundraising efforts are set for a boost when the inaugural Penrhos Fun Day is staged on Sunday, June 15, 9am-5am. Held on a field next to Penrhos Beach, bouncy castles and children's games are among a host of activities planned, along with stalls and a raffle. Entry is free. Save Penrhos campaigners have already met the joint administrators and have asked for a meeting with Anglesey Council. Its chief executive, Dylan J Williams isn't publicly commenting on the case while 'the ownership and future of the Penrhos site remain unclear'. In late February, the City of London Police announced it had launched a fraud investigation into the 79th Group, a holding company that raised cash by offering investors high returns over a fixed period. Four people connected to the company were arrested and bailed as part of 'Operation Mold '. A collective civil recovery process has since been launched on behalf of worried investors. The company has denied any wrongdoing. Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, former employees said they were promised wages after being being informed of redundancies in early April. However eight companies linked to the 79th Group filed for administration the day before they were due to be paid, leaving them without money owed. The joint administrators have since engaged an ERA specialist to handle employee claims. In an earlier statement to the Echo, following news of the fraud inquiry, a spokesperson for the 79th Group said: 'The Seventy Ninth Group categorically denies any wrongdoing following claims recently made public by the City of London police. 'Since the events of last week, we have been working diligently with our legal advisers to address the claims made as part of the investigation, while also providing information to business partners and other stakeholders. 'The company has also appointed independent forensic accountants to conduct a comprehensive review of the business. The Seventy Ninth Group remains committed to servicing its clients in the UK and across the globe.'
