Empty Daventry hotel will not be used for homeless accommodation

The Landmark Hotel on London Road has been out of use since 2008 and remains up for sale after being put on the market for £7 million last year.

Labour leader Councillor Wendy Randall recently questioned whether the building could be used to offer shelter to homeless people, but the Conservative adminstration’s leader Councillor Richard Auger ruled out such a move at the latest full council meeting on December 3.

In a question to the leader, Councillor Randall said: “The empty hotel is still a frequent hot topic on social media. At the end of 2019 the JobCentre held a recruitment day as a potential buyer had been found and they wanted to get the hotel up and running at lightning speed.

“I have asked many times over the years why the building couldn’t be used to house homeless people, but was always told it wasn’t possible due to the hotel being unlivable. I expressed my concerns for the jobless people that were being given false hopes, and a year on nothing has happened.

“Is this council aware of what is happening, and is the building now being charged for business rates?”

Responding to his Labour counterpart, the Tory leader said the hotel remained ‘substantially unused’ but that two rooms were inhabited by caretakers, who were charged council tax for living in Band A properties.

He added: “When procuring bed & breakfast and temporary accommodation for homeless people, the council would only use a properly operated hotel or guest house. As far as the council is aware the current owner of the hotel has not reached any agreements to sell it for use as a hotel or indeed for any other purpose.”

It had been reported last March that property agents Fleurets were marketing the hotel for the owners Property Investments (Development) Ltd, who opened the original 100-room hotel in 1976 before adding another 48 rooms in 1985.