Brighton residents unable to return home as demolition of 'unstable' Royal Albion Hotel continues

A section of the building remains “dangerously unstable”

Author: Vanessa BellringerPublished 26th Jul 2023

Brighton and Hove City Council’s leader has apologised to residents unable to return to their homes near the Royal Albion hotel, which was partly destroyed in a major fire.

The western section of the building remains “dangerously unstable” as demolition work continues.

Crews were called to the blaze on Saturday, July 15, requiring assistance from the likes of Surrey and London Fire Brigade.

Council leader, Bella Sankey, said: "The scale, seriousness and complexity of the huge operation was astonishing.

"The ruined section of the hotel is dangerously unstable, and the team are having to demolish a structure which is already in a state of collapse.

"It's vital that people keep away from the area while the area is made safe and secure and that is also why some residents are unfortunately unable to return to their homes while the work continues.

"However, I was really impressed by the professionalism and skill shown by the team on the ground in managing the demolition.

"They have a plan in place to make sure they remove the sections that are the most vulnerable and unsafe while doing everything they can to salvage and scan heritage features."

The latest fire was the second the Grade II listed building had suffered in 25 years.

The 219-bedroom hotel, which overlooks Brighton Pier, was built in 1826 and is run by Britannia Hotels.

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