An 87-year-old seafront hotel in Weymouth, Dorset, has become a dilapidated 'eyesore' after its Saudi Arabian owners reportedly allowed it to fall into disrepair, according to local MP Lloyd Hatton.
The Riviera Hotel, a Grade II-listed art deco building that opened in 1939, has been closed since suffering storm damage in 2022. It has been empty since failing to sell when it was last listed for £5 million in 2021.
Hatton has appealed to the government to intervene in the sale of the property, which he says is now a blight on the coastline. He has asked ministers to explore all available options, including compulsory purchase, to facilitate a sale that would return the hotel to local ownership.
"The Riviera Hotel is an iconic building overlooking Weymouth, but its current Saudi Arabia-based owners have let it fall into woeful disrepair," Hatton stated in Parliament. "What was once a thriving hotel is now turning into an absolute eyesore. While Dorset Council is doing its utmost to convene a reasonable sale, we can and must do more."
Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook has agreed to meet with Hatton to discuss the matter and confirmed that local authorities have powers to preserve designated heritage assets.
Residents have expressed a desire to see the landmark building restored, though they acknowledge the significant cost associated with renovating a listed property. The building's listed status, one local noted, makes renovation "too expensive and restrictive."
The Riviera Hotel was built between 1936 and 1937 and opened its doors just months before World War II. It was later refurbished in 2002 and sold to its current owners, Difaya Group, linked to Saudi hospitality business Bowleaze Limited, in 2009. The hotel was added to the Twentieth Century Society's Buildings at Risk Register in 2023 due to its decline and neglect.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the hotel provided temporary accommodation for the homeless. It was put on the market for £5.5 million in 2020 but did not attract a buyer and was removed from sale the following year.
Historic England has described the Riviera Hotel as embodying the modernist architectural style of the pre-war era.