The recent fire at the Raven Hotel was an incredibly sad day for Droitwich. To witness the fire was heartbreaking and I know that so many local residents have fond memories of this iconic building – which has history going back hundreds of years.
I have been in contact with Historic England who will be visiting the site to provide advice from a conservation and structural perspective. Meanwhile, I gather from Cllr Richard Morris (Leader of Wychavon District Council) that Wychavon Council have also commissioned a structural engineer who will visit the site today (12 August).
Once we have a better understanding of the structural and conservation considerations we will then be in a better place to consider what practical next steps we may be possible. Any rebuilding or redevelopment will need to involve multiple stakeholders including the owners of the property, insurance companies, the council, heritage bodies and of course the views of local residents. I will play whatever role is appropriate in trying to make sure that some element of this iconic building - with all its memories and history - continues in some form.
In the meantime, I would again like to thank the emergency services for their hard work tackling the fire. Their courage and commitment in such difficult circumstances are to be applauded – I cannot thank them enough.
