Fire at The Grand Atlantic as owners continue to fail to sufficiently secure site

Emergency services rushed to The Grand Atlantic Hotel this afternoon to reports of a fire in the unoccupied building.

The Grand Atlantic Hotel, which has been the scene of an increasing amount of anti-social behaviour since it closed last year, and has been repeatedly accessed by “urban explorers”.

A spokesperson for Avon Fire and Rescue Service said: "At around 2:50 pm, fire crews from Weston-Super-Mare and Avonmouth were called to reports of a small fire in a multi-storey building on Beach Road, Weston–super–Mare.

"On arrival, crews found that there had been a small fire that was out on arrival. Crews used basic firefighting equipment to dampen down the area and make the scene safe.

"A search of the building was carried out, and everyone was accounted for, and luckily no one was injured."

The incident comes only a week after Cllr Mike Bell, the leader of North Somerset Council, called on the owners of the hotel to do more to deter break-ins and anti-social behaviour.

Cllr Mike Bell said: “The Grand Atlantic is one of Weston-super-Mare's most prominent buildings. It cannot be left in a state where people can regularly gain unauthorised access, creating risks for themselves, neighbouring residents and the future of the building itself.

I am therefore seeking a further update from the owners and council officers regarding additional security measures. In my view, if the site cannot be made properly secure through physical measures alone, a 24/7 on-site presence should be seriously considered until redevelopment progresses.”