Demolition Plans Submitted - Last Chance To Act
According to a report in The Bridport News (click here to read), Palmers have submitted their plans to demolish [a large part of] The Three Cups Hotel [and gut the rest] to West Dorset District Council. I would urge local residents to make their objections known to the council through the official channels. Click through for an explanation of the Bridport News article.
The following terms need clarification:
1) "Developers hope to reopen building by 2017" means that local brewers Palmers, who would like to be thought of as part of the community, are acting against the interests of the people in Lyme Regis and plan to demolish everything but the front wall of the historic building as soon as possible. The famous hotel will be no more if they get their way.
[Correction, 04/12/2014. Having viewed the drawings for the planning application on the council website, I can see that the structure of the "Front Building" will remain but it will be gutted and the new interiors would bear little resemblance to those seen by Tolkien. Chesterton and other famous guests. The rest of the hotel will be demolished. Something else may be built in its place but that will not be cultural heritage.]
2) For "landmark", read loss because Lyme Regis would lose the opportunity for more hotel accommodation for visitors and the English speaking world will lose a vital cultural asset.
3) The full name of "The Save the Three Cups action group" was "Save The Three Cups as a Hotel", Their website has been taken down but the link was "www.savethethreecupshotel.co.uk". It seems that somebody persuaded them to give up their original aim along the way.
4) "since the hotel closed in May 1990" is a phrase which makes me wonder why there has not been an enquiry into the damage done to the local economy by this opportunity cost to use a marketing term.
5) "Palmers said it ... will include a restaurant, letting rooms, apartments, townhouses and shops." No reference to hotel accommodation or public bar. They have no intention of even recreating the interiors where Tolkien, Chesterton and Tennyson enjoyed the hospitality of the jewel of Lyme Regis.
6) The article repeatedly uses the word, "Landmark". Does that mean notable in the sense of the destruction of Coventry Cathedral or the Parthenon? "Infamous period in history" might be a better term to use.
7) "12 letting rooms" will not make the new building a hotel and visiting cinema fans would be in for a big disappointment if they travelled to Lyme Regis to see the room that featured in "The French Lieutenant's Woman" film.
8) "nine residential units" will obliterate Tolkien's view of Lyme Regis harbour.
and last but not least
9) These plans would not create a "Win-Win" situation. Palmers may make some money from the letting of flats but how much more would they benefit from owning the most famous pub in Dorset and all the business advantages described elsewhere on this blog. As far as this campaigner, the people of Lyme Regis and Tolkien fans worldwide are concerned, Palmers' plans would be a Lose-Lose-Lose situation.
The following terms need clarification:
1) "Developers hope to reopen building by 2017" means that local brewers Palmers, who would like to be thought of as part of the community, are acting against the interests of the people in Lyme Regis and plan to demolish everything but the front wall of the historic building as soon as possible. The famous hotel will be no more if they get their way.
[Correction, 04/12/2014. Having viewed the drawings for the planning application on the council website, I can see that the structure of the "Front Building" will remain but it will be gutted and the new interiors would bear little resemblance to those seen by Tolkien. Chesterton and other famous guests. The rest of the hotel will be demolished. Something else may be built in its place but that will not be cultural heritage.]
2) For "landmark", read loss because Lyme Regis would lose the opportunity for more hotel accommodation for visitors and the English speaking world will lose a vital cultural asset.
3) The full name of "The Save the Three Cups action group" was "Save The Three Cups as a Hotel", Their website has been taken down but the link was "www.savethethreecupshotel.co.uk". It seems that somebody persuaded them to give up their original aim along the way.
4) "since the hotel closed in May 1990" is a phrase which makes me wonder why there has not been an enquiry into the damage done to the local economy by this opportunity cost to use a marketing term.
5) "Palmers said it ... will include a restaurant, letting rooms, apartments, townhouses and shops." No reference to hotel accommodation or public bar. They have no intention of even recreating the interiors where Tolkien, Chesterton and Tennyson enjoyed the hospitality of the jewel of Lyme Regis.
6) The article repeatedly uses the word, "Landmark". Does that mean notable in the sense of the destruction of Coventry Cathedral or the Parthenon? "Infamous period in history" might be a better term to use.
7) "12 letting rooms" will not make the new building a hotel and visiting cinema fans would be in for a big disappointment if they travelled to Lyme Regis to see the room that featured in "The French Lieutenant's Woman" film.
8) "nine residential units" will obliterate Tolkien's view of Lyme Regis harbour.
and last but not least
9) These plans would not create a "Win-Win" situation. Palmers may make some money from the letting of flats but how much more would they benefit from owning the most famous pub in Dorset and all the business advantages described elsewhere on this blog. As far as this campaigner, the people of Lyme Regis and Tolkien fans worldwide are concerned, Palmers' plans would be a Lose-Lose-Lose situation.
1 Comments:
Demolition team - think about your souls! Get your hands off living memory!
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