What happened in Liskeard?

I have been sent the attached article from the Western Morning News (23/10/99) about the then uncertain fate of the Webb's Hotel in Liskeard. If you’d like to read the article, click this image to view a scan of the article, or click “Read the full post”to read a transcript.

It would appear that the local council were about to intervene to try and save the building. As I live in Manchester, I'm afraid that I do not know what became of the councils efforts. However, there is in an entry on yell.com for:

Webbs Inn And Restaurant, Pike St, Liskeard, Cornwall PL14 3HW
Tel: 01579 343839 Classification: Restaurants – Pub

So, some good must have come of it. Could anyone with more information, please add a comment to this posting?

“Owner is warned over ‘eyesore’ hotel” by Andy Greenwood
Western Morning News, Saturday October 23rd 1999

Pressure is being put on the owner of once-grand hotel in South East Cornwall to produce definite plans for the now decrepit building, or face the prospect of being forced to sell up.

Webbs Hotel, for years the focal point in Liskeard, has become an eyesore since closing around 10 years ago.

The condition of the Grade II listed building which dominates The Parade, has become of increasing concern for local residents who feel that it degrades the newly refurbished town centre.

Liskeard Town Forum has also been vociferous in expressing its fears that the unsightly appearance of the hotel is detrimental to the towns prospects for regeneration.

On Thursday night, Caradon District Council upped the pressure on current owner Mike Austin, the owner of a Midlands toy factory, to present detailed proposals for the historic building.

And Cllr George Hocking, vice chairman of the council’s planning services committee which made the decision, said yesterday that it was time the saga of Webbs Hotel was finally put to rest.

“We are going to meet with Mr Austin and want to see what plans he has got for the hotel,” he said. “If we are not satisfied with what is proposed and no progress is being made then we will have to go down the legal channels and make a compulsory purchase order. But I must stress that it is not at that stage yet.”

Cllr Hocking said the council had tried to move development of the premises on and admitted that small progress had already been made.

But he added: “He needs to come up with a plan of action for the future and we will be expecting him to keep that as much as possible.”

Members of the committee wholeheartedly backed the recomendations put forward by the council’s conservation officer David Moore.

They included moves to arrange a meeting between the officers, councillors and Mr Austin to asses progress on the project. Analysis of the meeting could lead the committee to seek legal and commercial advice to serve a compulsory purchase order in partnership with the South West Regional Development Agency.

A joint study with the RDA to identify alternative uses, restoration costs and valuations, would be embarked on.

The committee also backed the recommendations to serve Mr Austin with a repairs notice to prevent the building from falling into further disrepair.

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