Derelict Craven Arms hotel blamed for house sale failure
[gallery] Grandparents Colin and Linda Brindley had life all planned out – a smaller home and a comfortable retirement.
But 15 months after putting their home in Craven Arms up for sale it is still on the market. And the couple are blaming the eyesore of a long-derelict hotel over the road for putting off potential buyers.
The Temperance Hotel, in Shrewsbury Road, has been closed for more than a quarter of a century, with a side building housing offices also becoming vacant over the past four or five years.
Mr Brindley, 63, said there had been a number of viewings of their home, but as soon as people saw the hotel on the other side of the road they quickly lost interest.
"We haven't had any trouble getting viewings at all," said Mr Brindley.
"Our home has been on the market since last April and we have had about 10 different people come and look at it.
"But all they want to talk about is the hotel over the road.
"It is in a very dilapidated state now. We have lived here for 28 years so I can remember when it was open as a hotel. But now it is a real eyesore and dangerous in parts.
"I don't have the answers for these people, I can't tell them what the plans are for the site.
"They all tell us they really like the house, but we never hear back from them again after they leave and its because of the hotel over the road."
Father-of-four Mr Brindley said it meant the couple had needed to put their retirement plans on hold.
"We were planning on it being on the market for around six months," he said.
"We had plans to move into a smaller mobile home and to start our retirement but of course that has all had to go on hold now. We are really down about it because it is completely out of our control."
The hotel, which dates back to 1865, is owned by Craven Arms businessman Tim Summerfield, who said there was a big "For Sale" sign up outside.
He said it had been on the market for about four years but no-one had come forward to buy it.
"I am just as keen to sell my property as Mr Brindley is," said Mr Summerfield.
"It is being handled by agents, so as soon as we have something to announce regarding a sale we will do so."
