Fire damaged Catterick Bridge Hotel sold for £150,000

It is the second time the Catterick Bridge Hotel has gone under the hammer in 18 months. Last May it was sold for £240,000 by the same auctioneers.

The building was badly damaged by fire in February 2014 when the roof was destroyed, and has been targeted by vandals ever since, making it unsafe for potential buyers to even inspect the inside.

It is thought it will never reopen as a hotel, with plans submitted for three new-build houses on the two-acre site, which includes an extensive car park leading down to and overlooking the River Swale, with the existing buildings converted into one, two and three bedroomed apartments.

The hotel was being refurbished in February 2014 when there was a huge fire which caused massive damage to the fabric and roof of the historic building. The building was empty and no one was injured. Moves to auction it for £280,000 in 2017 were not successful and it has spiralled into dereliction ever since.

Hopes were high last year when it was last sold that it could be redeveloped into a hotel once again, but work never got underway.

Auctioneers Stretton's of London advertised the property as a large freehold vacant Grade II listed former pub/restaurant/hotel for repair with development potential.

The hotel is a well known local landmark dating back to the 16th Century, although it is not known how much of the original building is left, and there were additions in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. While it was a private house initially, it was later known as the George and Dragon and continued as a pub, restaurant and hotel through the centuries.

It was well used over the years by owners, trainers and jockeys attending Catterick races, with the first recorded meeting in 1783.