Eyesore hotel being demolished to make way for barn-style homes

Demolition work on the former Lea Manor Hotel, near Albrighton, is due to begin next week.

Wolverhampton-based developers Thomas Mann and Duncan Evans bought the building, which has been empty for 10 years, at auction in November.

They have set up a company called Lea Manor Developments which will build seven new barn-style houses on the site.

Mr Mann said the demolition work would begin on Wednesday next week, and it would take about two-and-a-half weeks to clear the site.

He said building work on the houses was expected to start in mid April.

"We are building barn-style houses because they need to be in keeping with the green belt," said Mr Mann.

"There will be one two-bedroom, three three-bedroom houses, and there will be three with four bedrooms.

"They will be priced from £250,000 to £400,0000."

He said it would be good news for people living around the area, who had been calling for something to be done with the empty building for years.

The Lea Manor Hotel, once famed for its all-night discos, closed in 2007.

In 2010 the site was occupied by travellers, prompting its then owners to dig trenches around it to prevent access.

The following year 32 firefighters were called to deal with an arson attack on the building.

Arsonists struck again in 2012, and there were also reports of the building being used as a drugs den.

Originally Lea Farm, parts of the site date back to 1882, but it was extensively redeveloped when businessman Bob Eaton turned it into an hotel in 1968.

Mr Eaton kept the hotel, which was a popular disco venue in the 1970 and 80s, until 1986.

In its heyday, it attracted entertainers including Frankie Vaughan and Kathy Kirby to its sell-out dinners and dances.