New twist in 'iconic' hotel's future

29 November 2007 08:57

An ongoing saga involving an iconic Thetford hotel took another twist yesterday after it emerged that its owner had submitted new plans to demolish it.

The redundant Anchor Hotel in Thetford - made famous by the Dad's Army television show- looked set for a stay of execution following proposals for a partial conversion of the historic building as part of a courtyard shopping and flats development.

But heritage officials spoke of their disappointment yesterday after a developer devised new plans to knock down the whole of the 16- bedroom hotel, bar and restaurant to create nearly 1,000sqm of retail space and 24 residential units.

Its owners, the Hertford-based Zog II, last night said it had drawn up the alternative scheme after getting negative feedback from Breckland Council planning officials over converting the 18th-century part of the building and demolishing the 1960s extension for the retail and residential development.

The building, in Bridge Street, featured in the first episode of the Dad's Army series, has been boarded up for 18 months.

Previous plans to demolish the Anchor were thrown out by the district council, but the developer says the style and scale of the newly proposed ground-floor shops, one studio apartment, seven one-bedroom and 16 two-bedroom flats with 28 parking spaces was “in keeping” with the surrounding conservation area.

Stuart Wright, chairman of the Thetford Society, who runs the popular Dad's Army tours in the town, said he was “gutted” by the latest development. “The town is just beginning to wake up to the fact that Dad's Army is a money spinner and now we are about to get rid of one of the jewels in the crown of the tours and another historic building in the town. The Anchor has been part of the streetscape for years. It is iconic,” he said.

Mark Lahiff, partner of Zog II, said plans submitted in September, which aimed to ease local concern by incorporating the 18th-century part of the Anchor in the courtyard development, was still active. However, Breckland planners had indicated that the new element was “not in keeping” with the old part of the building and was set to be refused, he said.

“We met them [Breckland Council planners] two years ago to discuss a complete redevelopment of the car park, bus station and Anchor site and we are still trying to get permission on this one part. They are not the most supp-ortive planners we are dealing with. There are so many pen pushers and not enough doers there,” said Mr Lahiff.

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