Complex demolition of 'eyesore' hotel begins

The Golden Eagle has wide-spread levels of asbestos which will need to be removed as part of the works

The demolition of a hotel described as a "blot on the landscape" has begun.

Work to bulldoze the former Golden Eagle Hotel in Thornaby, on Teesside, started on Monday and is set to take months to complete due to significant levels of asbestos.

The hotel has been derelict for many years but will be cleared as part of plans paid for by Stockton Council's £23.9m town improvement fund.

Andy McDonald, Labour MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East, has described the works, planned for completion in spring 2026, as "one of the most complicated demolition jobs of its kind ever performed in the UK".

McDonald said: "Thornaby people know this has been a blot on the landscape for far, far too long. But they also know just what a complex process it's going to be to actually bring it down.

"It's a very complicated building for reasons that are well known, but it's coming down."

Members of the Thornaby Town Deal Board meet with demolition contractors to begin the works

In April, council bosses warned people to stay out of the derelict hotel after it was set ablaze in an arson attack, while police told people not to enter the building due to the asbestos.

The demolition process will involve removing that asbestos before moving on to the structure of the building, and is expected to cost £1.52m.

The work is being paid for by Town Deal funding from the previous government and £1.34m from the Indigenous Growth Fund, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

'Endless possibilities'

Leaders say the start of demolition work ends years of uncertainty about the building's future.

Councillor Richard Eglington, Stockton Council's cabinet member for regeneration and housing, said: "This is the next step towards unlocking new opportunities for Thornaby by removing a building that has been an eyesore for a number of years and a barrier for future investment.

"Given the building is situated in the middle of a busy town centre, close to businesses and residents, we are all working together to ensure it is brought down quickly and most importantly, safely."

Matt Vickers, Conservative MP for Stockton West, said the possibilities for the site are "endless".

"The demolition of the Golden Eagle marks a golden opportunity for Thornaby," he said.