Court orders reinstatement of twenty-eight sash windows at Alexander Hotel
In October 2022 Lancaster Civic Vision (LCV) highlighted the fact that a significant number of prominent listed buildings in the city were in a state of disrepair and abandonment, with the potential to be lost forever, and without realistic proposals for their future use being put to the City Council.
Lancaster and Morecambe is an important district for history and heritage with the area having more listed buildings than any other area in the North West, with the exception of Liverpool.
One of the most visible to everyone entering Lancaster from the South – both residents and visitors to the area – is the Alexander Hotel which has been a major landmark since it was built in 1902.
The Alexander Hotel in the 1930s when travellers taking the A6 north proceeded along Thurnham Street rather than King Street on the one-way system that exists today – photo Lancaster and the Lune Valley by Robert Alston
In October 2022 LCV became concerned that the upper floor windows of the Alexander Hotel had been removed, that the building was now at the mercy of the forthcoming winter elements, and that action needed to be urgently taken if the building were not to become unstable and dangerous.
The owner of the building stated in response to the City that the windows had been removed in order that new ones might be made and that they would be replaced as soon as they were available. As can be seen by the photo at the head of this article taken recently – some seventeen months later – this has proved not to be the case.
Alexander Hotel, Lancaster November 2022 – photo Lancaster Civic Vision
Lancaster City Council have since that time undertaken various legal actions in an attempt to persuade the owners to comply with legislation currently in place regarding Grade 2 listed buildings, which the owners have challenged, but a recent ruling by the Court has found in the City Council’s favour, and has directed that the owners must now:
- Reinstate the eight original timber single-glazed sliding sash windows which have been removed from the first floor. Any damage which has been through/since their removal should be repaired prior to reinstatement.
- Reinstate the nineteen original timber single-glazed sliding sash windows which have been removed from the second floor. Any damage which has been caused through/since their removal should be repaired prior to reinstatement.
- Reinstate the fixed timber framed single-glazed window located on the second floor, north elevation. Any damage which has been caused through/since the removal should be repaired prior to reinstatement.
Clearly as it stands the building is in a dangerous state and has been causing concerns to residents during the winter’s high winds and heavy rains and Lancaster Civic Vision welcomes this ruling and opportunity to safeguard this historic building.
This area is looking forward to Eden Project Morecambe opening in the near future at which time the Lancaster and Morecambe District will be welcoming an estimated one million visitors per year, all of whom we hope will be impressed enough with our area to stay beyond their Eden visit and perhaps wish to return again.
It is therefore vital that the entrances and road approaches, as well as parking and rail facilities, are brought to the highest order possible to give a good impression and welcoming feel to these new visitors.
It is an old and wise saying that states “you never get a second chance to make a first impression”.
