Fire Ends Exeter’s Royal Clarence Hotel’s 340-Year History
Credited as Britain’s first hotel, the Royal Clarence was built in 1769. But the building has been completely destroyed after fire broke out in a neighbouring art gallery.
The charred remains of the oldest hotel in Britain have started to collapse and will have to be demolished after fire broke out in the early hours of Friday 28 October.
Despite the devastation, there were no casualties as the hotel and neighbouring buildings were rapidly evacuated as soon as fire broke out – proving the critical role that safety evacuation procedures, fire safety signs and clearly marked fire exits play in saving lives.
Ruptured Gas Main
Fire initially broke out at the Castle Fine Art gallery on Exeter’s historic Cathedral Green at around 5AM. Initial indications were that firefighters had the blaze under control, but this proved not to be the case, as fire spread to neighbouring buildings, including the Laura Ashley clothes store and the historic Royal Clarence Hotel.
A spokesman from Devon and Somerset Fire Service stated that the cause of the fire is as yet unknown. The full extent of the damage is still to be ascertained, as a number of buildings on Cathedral Yard were affected.
The problem was exacerbated by a ruptured gas main beneath the hotel, which added fuel to the fire and resulted in the mains being switched off. Around 150 firefighters attended, and ultimately had to pump water from the nearby River Exe to bring the blaze under control.
By that time, however, the building had been completely gutted, with even the remaining façade gradually collapsing under its own weight.
A Famous History
The hotel was named after Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, the Duchess of Clarence and wife of the future King William IV, who was a guest at the hotel in 1827.
Over three and a half centuries, the Royal Clarence has played host to many other famous names. Most notably, Admiral Lord Nelson insisted on dining there in 1801 when he received the freedom of Exeter after the Battle of the Nile.
Beatrix Potter complimented the “fine view” across Cathedral Green when she stayed at the hotel in 1892, and the venue was popular with a host of Hollywood stars including Clark Gable during the inter-war years.
More recently, Michael Jackson paid a visit in 2002, accompanied by his friend Uri Gellar, when he was made an honorary director of Exeter City football club in 2002, and last year, David Cameron made the Royal Clarence his base when campaigning in the city.
End Of The Road
The intensity of the fire made it difficult for fire crews to fight it and even when the worst of the blaze had been extinguished, the damage was so severe that it was too dangerous to enter the building. The remaining pockets of fire had to be tackled using aerial platforms.
Sadly, the hotel has been completely destroyed, and what little remains will have to be demolished over the coming weeks, after structural engineers have completed their inspections.
The Bishop of Exeter described the efforts of the attending fire crews as “heroic” and Chief Fire Officer Lee Howell added his praise, remarking “It was an incredible effort to stop the fire spreading to other heritage buildings on the High Street.”