Droitwich Heritage Centre wanting public to share memories and photos of town's 'historic' Raven Hotel
The grade two listed building caught fire last Sunday (10 August) with most of it said to have been 'completely destroyed'
Droitwich Spa's Heritage and Information Centre is calling for people to continue to share their memories of the Raven Hotel so they can preserve it for the future.
The grade two listed building caught fire last Sunday (10 August) with Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service called to the area at around 4:45pm.
In total eight fire engines and multiple specialist vehicles were deployed to tackle the blaze with the fire being successfully extinguished.
Most of the building is said to have been completely destroyed as a result of the fire, with West Mercia police confirming in the aftermath two girls, 13 and 14, were arrested on suspicion of arson and have since been released on bail.
Following the fire, Droitwich Spa's Heritage and Information Centre is wanting people to get in touch with them to share as many as experiences and images as possible so they can store and use them for future displays.
Heritage manager Rebecca Butler says they've already got a small exhibition on the history of the hotel but it would be great to collect more pieces which they can store and use moving forward.
"It's prompted a lot of outpouring of memories from the public so there's so much on social media and we were really aware that we didn't want it to get lost," she said.
"We've decided that we need to act quickly and we're asking the community and the people of Droitwich and further afield to get in touch with us to give us their memories and their photographs so we can really record the social history of that building.
"As museum professionals it is really important that we capture history in the moment and obviously this is a very shocking and sad situation for a lot of people, but also it's history in the making.
"Not only do we want to document what's happened, we also want to document the memories and that social history."
'Parts can be saved'
In a statement published yesterday (15 August), Wychavon District Council says since the fire, it continues to work closely with multiple agencies, the Raven Hotel owner and developer, and heritage experts.
It announced a multi-agency meeting was held on 14 August to review the current situation and next steps.
Representatives from the Hereford and Worcester Fire Service, West Mercia Police, Historic England, Worcestershire Regulatory Services, South Worcestershire Building Control, Wychavon District Council, the site owner’s representatives, and structural engineers were all in attendance.
It stated the fire service has now formally handed control of the site to the legal owner and developer of the building as legally required, and from 15 August the owner will implement enhanced security measures at the site, including the presence of a dog handler, which the council will monitor.
Structural engineers also confirmed in the meeting that elements of the listed building can be saved.
Work will now focus on agreeing priorities for site safety, propping measures, and ensuring planning conditions are met before any significant works take place, Historic England will remain closely involved to help ensure the safety and security of the building’s retained historic features.
Access issues affecting businesses at the rear of the building are also being addressed with the council saying it will continue to monitor the impact of the incident and work with partners to support affected businesses.
The council is also wanting to remind people not to attempt to enter the building as the Raven Hotel remains a dangerous site and the security fencing is there for people's safety.
Councillor Richard Morris, leader of Wychavon District Council, said: "We know how much the Raven Hotel means to the people of Droitwich, and I share their sadness and frustration over the events of recent days.
"I want to reassure residents that we are doing everything we can, alongside our partners, to safeguard what remains of this important landmark, ensure the safety of the site, and support the process of rebuilding.
"We will continue to keep pressure on the owners to fulfil their responsibilities and deliver on their obligations, this is a complex and sensitive task, but we are committed to working together to secure the best possible outcome for the town.”
The UK Health Security Agency has also advised the council that, while asbestos was present in the Raven Hotel, their assessment of the fire and resulting air quality did not identify any significant public health concerns and the incident was not classified as a major one.
People with any photos or memories of the Raven Hotel are being told to reach out to the Droitwich Spa Heritage and Information Centre through their website.