Home » World News »
‘UK’s luckiest squatter’ lived in Victorian hotel for free before horror blaze
One of the so-called “luckiest squatters in the UK” managed to live in a historic Victorian hotel before it was burned to the ground.
Grosvenor Hotel was said to be “at risk of collapse” before a “deliberate” fire broke out in October last year, torching the historic site in a plume of smoke and billowing fire.
But before the blaze took out the historic Bristol building, one man found himself living in the 150-year-old site all by himself.
Tom, 30, called the place his “home” and was facing an eviction notice from the property just months before the place went up in smoke.
The building had already been noted for its “dangerous condition” and risk of collapse, with council workers propping a fence up around the area to prevent further masonry damage.
-
Lucky squatter lives it up in historic building
Long before the collapse of the building, squatter Tom had fashioned out a liveable space in the abandoned property.
Grosvenor Hotel had been built in 1875 but found itself abandoned as the council planned regenerative proposals for the area.
Until that time though, Tom fashioned himself a living room and graffiti-covered room inside the historic Victorian hotel.
(Image: Martin Booth / SWNS)1 of 11- Share
- Comments
-
Stunning views and dangerous floors
Tom’s tenure in the building saw the squatter make a few upgrades to his "home", including a living space that captured the "crème de la crème" of the place.
The 30-year-old managed to live for some months in a building with rich "heritage", but had to be wary where he stepped.
The squatter noted his need for a "safe space" inside the hotel, as some floors and ceilings were crumbling away.
(Image: Martin Booth / SWNS)2 of 11- Share
- Comments
-
Eyesore for Bristol and ‘significant benefits’
Despite Tom’s love of the heritage and spectacle of the rundown hotel, others had fumed at the state of the hotel.
Grosvenor Hotel was blasted as an "eyesore" and a recent court case confirmed a number of previous complaints about the site.
One such complaint was the "potential danger from falling masonry", which resulted in "the council erecting fencing around the building."
(Image: Glen Davies)3 of 11- Share
- Comments
-
Near-£20million property purchase for burning ‘eyesore’
Despite the rundown establishment, back in March 2022, the property was listed as part of a development scheme in the area.
Proposed purchasing of the property saw the price skyrocket to between £16.67million and £19.67million.
The property had been in steady decline, but it proved too late for development when the eyesore caught fire in October last year.
(Image: Martin Booth / SWNS)4 of 11- Share
- Comments
-
‘Deliberate’ fire eviscerated building after evacuation
Fire services responding to the burning of the "derelict" Grosvenor Hotel confirmed that the blaze had been a "deliberate" one.
BristolLive reported at the time the worrying fire, which saw a blaze cover the hotel from ground floor to roof.
Smoke billowed from the top of the historic establishment as neighbouring buildings were successfully evacuated, with an investigation into the building opened soon after.
(Image: Martin Booth / SWNS)5 of 11- Share
- Comments
-
More dangerous than ever before after devastating fire
Bristol Magistrates Court heard some weeks after the fire that the building was even more dangerous now than it was before the fire.
Crumbling walls and falling masonry had put the building at "risk of collapse", and following the fire a hefty deal of damage had been dealt.
Parts of the roof had "largely collapsed" and an "exclusion zone" was propped up around the site.
(Image: Martin Booth / SWNS)6 of 11- Share
- Comments
-
Squatter Tom’s refurbishment goes up in flames
Before the blaze broke out, Tom had been hoping to tidy each room and offer them up to Ukrainian’s fleeing the Russian invasion.
Tom, speaking back in March, said: "This is a wonderful building, there’s loads to it that I really enjoy. And to have a safe space inside."
He added that the property could be "an answer to some short-term problems," Daily Star reported at the time.
(Image: Martin Booth / SWNS)7 of 11- Share
- Comments
-
Gorgeous mahogany and ornate building up in flames
Tom had also noted the beauty of the building just a few months before it was firing plumes of smoke into the sky.
Speaking at the time on the beauty of the building, he praised the "ornateness" and "detailed work" Grosvenor Hotel offered.
He said: "You can tell this place used to be the real crème de la crème. Some of the wood, the dark mahogany wood, the wallpaper, the ornateness around the high ceilings, the detailed work."
(Image: Martin Booth / SWNS)8 of 11- Share
- Comments
-
Grosvenor Hotel marked as a ‘dangerous building’
Efforts to build up the hotel to its former glory, or at least make it safe, fell short of what they had hoped to achieve.
Speaking to Magistrates back in November, Earlcloud Ltd representatives asked for a "dangerous building" order so they could "review plans".
Their position, as noted in court by Angus Gloag QC, was that the company and council members wanted the site "developed".
(Image: Martin Booth / SWNS)9 of 11- Share
- Comments
-
Planned removal of ‘exclusion zone’ was a ‘tricky operation’
But a development of the area proved too difficult and was deemed a "tricky operation" during a court hearing, BristolLive reported at the time.
Speaking at the time, Mr Gloag said: "Structural engineers are going to have to sign off each move, and it’s going to be quite a tricky operation.
"If you try to rush it, it’s not going to work."
(Image: Martin Booth / SWNS)10 of 11- Share
- Comments
-
Demolition plans for historic site already stalled
Approval for demolition of the site, which will be carried out "by hand and machine", according to Bristol24/7, has already stalled.
Building owners Earcloud have confirmed there is "no proposal to restore the site", despite a court ruling for owner Nimish Popat to shore up the building or demolish it.
Neither has been carried out just yet, with the once-historic site now sitting as a burnt out Bristol eyesore.
(Image: Martin Booth / SWNS)11 of 11- Share
- Comments
- Property
- Fire
- Urban Explorers
Source: Read Full Article
