The prominent Morecambe building – which was once a thriving fun pub – remains on the market and in a continually worsening shabby state. Built as a hotel in 1840, the property has had a chequered history. It was a popular late night music destination as Pacha’s in the 1980s and 90s. After Pacha’s closed in 1999, it reinvented itself as Baroque, before becoming the Queens Hotel again during the 2000s. It reopened in February 2013 after a £20,000 internal refurb and finally, was re-launched as a late night venue in October 2014 by Mike Zorab but closed again just a few months later, and has stood empty since. Officers from Morecambe Town Council conducted a survey outside the hotel in June with a view to a possible application to the Community Ownership Fund.placeholder image
The prominent Morecambe building – which was once a thriving fun pub – remains on the market and in a continually worsening shabby state. Built as a hotel in 1840, the property has had a chequered history. It was a popular late night music destination as Pacha’s in the 1980s and 90s. After Pacha’s closed in 1999, it reinvented itself as Baroque, before becoming the Queens Hotel again during the 2000s. It reopened in February 2013 after a £20,000 internal refurb and finally, was re-launched as a late night venue in October 2014 by Mike Zorab but closed again just a few months later, and has stood empty since. Officers from Morecambe Town Council conducted a survey outside the hotel in June with a view to a possible application to the Community Ownership Fund.

9 of Lancaster and Morecambe's worst grot spots that readers say they'd like to see the back of

By Debbie Butler
Published 4th Nov 2024, 14:54 BST
Updated 4th Nov 2024, 15:03 BST
Which are the worst grot spots in Lancaster and Morecambe that you’d love to see sorted?

We asked this question on our Lancaster Guardian and Morecambe Visitor Facebook pages and the response was huge.

Although our district has many buildings it can be immensely proud of – the Ashton Memorial, Lancaster Castle, Lancaster Priory, Morecambe Winter Gardens and the Midland Hotel to name but a few – there are still some eyesores that continue to attract criticism.

Here we look at nine of your grottiest landmarks, some of which have blotted the landscape for many years, others which get uglier by the month and a couple that may be set to become a whole lot better looking in the not too distant future .

The grot spot former Home Bargains store occupies a prominent position in Morecambe town centre. The building - which was for many years the home of Boots - gained notoriety for all the wrong reasons in March 2021 when police uncovered a large and 'sophisticated' cannabis farm with a 'significant potential street value' after raiding the building.

5. Former Home Bargains, Euston Road, Morecambe

The grot spot former Home Bargains store occupies a prominent position in Morecambe town centre. The building - which was for many years the home of Boots - gained notoriety for all the wrong reasons in March 2021 when police uncovered a large and 'sophisticated' cannabis farm with a 'significant potential street value' after raiding the building. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard

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Any list of Morecambe and Lancaster's grot spots would not be complete without the former Frontierland theme park site. Home to different theme park and fun fair attractions over many decades, including the former Polo Tower, it has been vacant for 20 years and is loathed by locals as a big blot on Morecambe's landscape. Lancaster City Council bought the Frontierland site in 2021, and has plans to appoint a preferred partner to develop the former funfair site, with the focus on a leisure and hospitality-led mixed-use development. Potential developers were given a tour of the site last month.

6. Frontierland, Marine Road West, Morecambe

Any list of Morecambe and Lancaster's grot spots would not be complete without the former Frontierland theme park site. Home to different theme park and fun fair attractions over many decades, including the former Polo Tower, it has been vacant for 20 years and is loathed by locals as a big blot on Morecambe's landscape. Lancaster City Council bought the Frontierland site in 2021, and has plans to appoint a preferred partner to develop the former funfair site, with the focus on a leisure and hospitality-led mixed-use development. Potential developers were given a tour of the site last month. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Studdard

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The Bowling Green is one of two historic inns in Scotforth, the other being the Boot and Shoe. Earliest records of the Bowling Green are from 1815. After such a long run as a pub, it's sad to see it in such a state of disrepair today.

7. Bowling Green, Scotforth Road, Lancaster

The Bowling Green is one of two historic inns in Scotforth, the other being the Boot and Shoe. Earliest records of the Bowling Green are from 1815. After such a long run as a pub, it's sad to see it in such a state of disrepair today. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard

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This imposing Lancaster house used as a health clinic for decades stands boarded up after the local hospital trust vacated the building due to the sorry state of the property. Elements of the listed building, such as a leaking roof and ornate plasterwork, sadly no longer met Health and Safety requirements. A spokesman for the building's owners, Lancaster City Council, said at the time: “Ryelands House is a grade II listed building owned by Lancaster City Council. Now the current tenants have vacated the building the council has chosen to secure the property whilst it reviews options for its future use.” The building oozes history having been built as a large house circa 1836 for Mr Jonathan Dunn, twice mayor of Lancaster. In 1874, the estate was purchased by James Williamson - who became Lord Ashton in 1895 - who employed Paley and Austin to make various improvements to the estate, including an extension to Ryelands House made in 1883. Let's hope a new chapter opens soon for this historic gem.

8. Ryelands House, Ryelands Park, Owen Road, Lancaster

This imposing Lancaster house used as a health clinic for decades stands boarded up after the local hospital trust vacated the building due to the sorry state of the property. Elements of the listed building, such as a leaking roof and ornate plasterwork, sadly no longer met Health and Safety requirements. A spokesman for the building's owners, Lancaster City Council, said at the time: “Ryelands House is a grade II listed building owned by Lancaster City Council. Now the current tenants have vacated the building the council has chosen to secure the property whilst it reviews options for its future use.” The building oozes history having been built as a large house circa 1836 for Mr Jonathan Dunn, twice mayor of Lancaster. In 1874, the estate was purchased by James Williamson - who became Lord Ashton in 1895 - who employed Paley and Austin to make various improvements to the estate, including an extension to Ryelands House made in 1883. Let's hope a new chapter opens soon for this historic gem. Photo: Kelvin Lister-Stuttard

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