South Holland District Council will not bid for derelict Sutton Bridge hotel
Council bosses say they will not be bidding for an eyesore hotel when it goes under the hammer next month.
South Holland District Council says it will not be taking part in an online auction for the derelict The Bridge Hotel in Sutton Bridge.
The Bridge Hotel has blighted the entrance to Sutton Bridge and Lincolnshire after it has been wrecked by a fire and vandalism over the years.
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Council officers took part in the last auction for the hotel in 2022 when it was sold of £181,000- far higher than the £80,000 to £100,000 guide price – but the last owners never registered with the land registry.
But the guide price for the February 15 auction is £180,000 – which has ruled out the council.
A spokesman said: “The council will not be entering the auction this time around as the reserve price is significantly higher than expected, but we hope the auction will attract private enterprises who will do something with the site and engage positively with SHDC in the coming months.
“We look forward to working with interested parties should the building be sold.”
This will be a blow to local people who were hoping that the council would enter the race.
Tim Machin, who is a member of Long Sutton and District Civic Society, said: “A New Year’s wish from the people of Sutton Bridge is to see a resolution of the long standing problem of the Bridge Hotel.
“Last year we called for leadership by our local councils to bring about much needed change to this eyesore which has been dragging down the town for far too long. This year and sooner than expected, they have another chance to do the right thing and buy it at auction and then come forward with positive plans for the site in consultation with the community.”
A New Year’s wish from the people of Sutton Bridge is to see a resolution of the long standing problem of the Bridge Hotel.
“Last year we called for leadership by our local councils to bring about much needed change to this eyesore which has been dragging down the town for far too long. This year and sooner than expected, they have another chance to do the right thing and buy it at auction and then come forward with positive plans for the site in consultation with the community.”
The hotel has a total of 21 bedrooms with 18 ‘benefitting from ensuite bathrooms’, according to the latest listing on Rightmove.
The Bridge Hotel is one of a series of derelict buildings which are blighting the area and South Holland District Council has a policy to help bring these back into use.
The other problem sites include the former Johnson Hospital in Spalding, The Bull Hotel in Long Sutton and The Bell in Pinchbeck.
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