A ferocious fire which tore apart an historic Tenby landmark has changed the face of one of the most popular coastal views in Wales.

Described as the biggest blaze in Pembrokeshire for many years, the disused Royal Gatehouse Hotel was engulfed by a raging fire right in the middle of the busy Easter Bank Holiday weekend.

The incident was reported to Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service at 11.03 pm on Saturday. Flames lit up the night sky as they ripped through all five floors of the listed hotel before spreading to an adjoining tanning studio and threatening the nearby Royal Playhouse Cinema. Smoke billowing from the White Lion Street hotel could be seen from miles around.

The roof of the 59-room hotel partially collapsed and crews were withdrawn from entering the building due to its unsafe structure.

The fire took several hours to get under control, with firefighters only scaling down their operations some 36 hours later.

During its Victorian heyday, the hotel would have been one of the most sought-after places to stay, but all that has now been left of the coastal facade is a large black gaping hole in front of which a tower of scaffolding had melted in the heat and crashed onto the road below.

No one was injured in the devastating blaze, but around 40 people had to be evacuated from nearby properties.

They included a number of holidaymakers staying at the Royal Lion Hotel opposite the Royal Gatehouse Hotel. They found temporary accommodation at another hotel in the town. At the height of the fire in the early hours of Sunday morning, around 100 firefighters attended the scene from all over Mid and West Wales. There were 14 fire and rescue vehicles at the incident, along with three aerial units. Two water carriers were also at the scene.

Divisional Fire Commander Nick Webley afterwards paid tribute to his men.

"They have carried out some fantastic work in very difficult conditions," he said.

The whole of Tenby was closed on Sunday as firefighters continued damping down and investigations into the cause began. Roads immediately around the scene are expected to remain shut for some time.

Pembrokeshire County Councillor Mike Evans, of Tenby, said the fire had occurred during one of resort's busiest weekends.

"However, we want to give out the message that Tenby is still open for business," he stressed. "We are asking visitors not to bring their cars into town, but to leave their vehicles in The Salterns car park on the outskirts of Tenby and to access the town on foot.

"Shops and businesses will be trading as normal." Pembrokeshire County Council's civil contingencies officer, Richard Brown, said the authority had arranged for the people evacuated from their accommodation to be fed.

Initially, they were taken to the De Valence Pavilion, but later moved to the Belgrave Hotel.

Police had to draft in extra officers to deal with the large crowds of people who gathered to watch the fire drama unfold.

Inspector Alan Millichip confirmed that it was too early to speculate on the cause of the fire. He went on: "However, in due course a joint investigation will be undertaken involving fire service personnel and Dyfed Powys Police. The commencement of this investigation will be determined by the safety measures which currently need to be put into place to secure the building. "Due to the degree of road closures in place, I would ask for the co-operation of the public in using the car parking facilities located outside the town centre and accessing the town on foot. It is anticipated that vehicular access to the town will be restricted for some time."

Bulldozers moved in on Wednesday to make safe areas of the establishment which were in immediate danger of collapsing.

The work, being carried out by Swansea firm L. G. Murphy, of Landore, is expected to take several days, but once complete will enable fire investigators to conduct an examination of the wrecked hotel.

Hotel owner Graham Fry has paid tribute to the fire brigade, police and other agenices involved in the incident and investigation for their 'excellent attendance'.

First to raise alarm

First to raise the alarm was Christine Neagle, of No 6, The Norton. She and her partner David Young were on their way home after an evening out. "We crossed the road to avoid the scaffolding which the fire service had already been called to earlier in the day because some of the planking had been moved by the high winds," said Christine. "Another couple were standing opposite the hotel and looking up, we stopped and looked up and saw the sparks from the roof of the hotel - fire showed through one of the hotel windows. I dialled 999 from my mobile and also alerted our neighbours." Christine continued: "We were told not to go to bed by the fire service and later were evacuated, first to the De Valence and then to The Fourcroft Hotel. The staff of both places were very kind and sympathetic. The fire was well under way and we watched until about 4.30 am, mostly to be assured that our house wasn't going to go up in flames too." On behalf of her partner David, and Shelley and Gilbert Bosson, who have a holiday flat nearby, Christine added: "We would like to pay tribute to the police and fire personnel who dealt with the fire. "In spite of very difficult aspects, wind direction, low water pressure and a derelict and dangerous building, they responded magnificently. They are a first class example of professionalism, bravery and determination. "Though this fire and its aftermath is a severe blow to the town, it could have been a lot worse without their untiring and successful efforts to contain it. Our thanks to every one of them." 'Horrifying movie scene'

Another eyewitness, Ben Fecci, of Celtic Corner, Upper Frog Street, described the blaze as a 'scary sight' which was like a 'horrifying movie scene'. "Smoke was coming out of the roof top and a small roof top window with an intense orange glow inside. Within seconds, the fire was spreading along the roof top and engulfing the surrounding buildings in a thick black smoke. "The firemen seemed to have it under control, but as they moved to other positions around the building, it soon become apparent that they were fighting to keep the surrounding buildings safe. "As I looked out of my bedroom window, the flames seemed to roll up the side of the buildings up to three maybe four metres high. "It was a scary sight, with the flaming embers and debris  being tossed around by the wind. "I could feel the heat and the smell of smoke was choking. The sounds of exploding glass, cracking wood and the raging flames were the worst noises I have ever heard and the sight of the fire unfolding was quite simply a horrifying vision, more like a movie scene from a horror film than something that was a couple of metres away." Ben, his girlfriend and little boy were evacuated to the Belgrave Hotel at around 4.30 am due to the risk of the building collapsing. "Everyone was extremely nice at the hotel, as was Clr. Mike Evans and all the police who helped," added Ben.

'Huge Credit' to emergency services

County Councillor Michael Williams has also been among those to pay tribute to the efforts of the emergency services. He said: "When you survey the extent of the damage, the first thought must be how lucky we are that no one was killed or seriously injured. "Huge credit must go to the fire service, both our local fire-fighters who had to hold the line until reinforcements arrived, and all of those who worked so tirelessly over the next days. We take these individuals for granted far too often." He continued: "It is so sad to see a once superb hotel reduced to this. I can remember when this was one of the finest hotels in Wales, offering a very high standard of accommodation. It reflects a decline in our quality facilities that we are able to offer visitors, that must be halted." Clr. Williams met with the county council's director of highways on Tuesday. "He outlined to me what action had been undertaken and what the next steps would be. I understand that demolition contractors were on site, and as soon as the all-clear was given that works would be undertaken to make the structure safe. The absolute priority is to re-open access to the town after what, for businesses, has been a disaster over a vital weekend."

'Trade down'

One business affected by the incident is The Jazz Sweet Shop in White Lion Street. Owners Will and Marilyn Gardner and their family, who live above the shop, were evacuated during the early hours of Sunday morning. "We were allowed back in later on Sunday, but the shop was shut all day," said Will. "We tried to open on Monday, but everywhere was in total chaos. "This is the first major Bank Holiday of the year and we depend on it, but we've lost it, and so has the town." Although The Jazz is open for business, trade has been 40-60 per cent down compared to a normal holiday time. "Everybody in town is struggling," Will added.

New arrangements for deliveries

In the wake of the Easter weekend fire which destroyed Tenby's Royal Gatehouse Hotel, a shuttle service for trade deliveries in the town was introduced from Tuesday. While cars and vans are being allowed into Tenby, customers should inform their supplier/haulier that anything bigger than a standard low roof Transit van should go to the Salterns long term car park on the outskirts of the resort where Pembrokeshire County Council will be operating a goods transhipping shuttle service for traders. This service will operate from 7 am to 3 pm during this week. "We are asking haulage operators and traders who have deliveries to Tenby to ring our contact centre so that we have advance warning of their arrival," explained the council's director of highways and transportation, Ian Westley. The number to ring is 01437 764551. "For security reasons, we will also require that a representative from the haulage firm accompanies the delivery to its destination," added Mr. Westley. Roads in the immediate vicinity of the Royal Gatehouse Hotel remain closed to both pedestrians and vehicles. They include sections of The Norton, White Lion Street and High Street. To ease the process of deliveries, residents/ motorists are asked to be respectful of the existing parking restrictions to enable loading and circulation along the following streets: South Parade, Lower and Upper Frog Street, St. Mary's Street, The Paragon, Belmont Arch. Police officers and traffic wardens will be active in these areas to ensure the operation of the arrangements. Residents of Lower Frog Street who hold residents parking permits are requested to park their vehicles in the multi-storey car park free of charge while the roads remain closed. "They should display their permits when they park in the multi-storey," said Mr. Westley. He added that the authority had received a number of queries regarding other council services, including refuse collections, but stressed these would continue as normal. "We are extremely grateful to the residents of Tenby for the co-operation they are showing during a difficult time," he added.

Shuttle bus service

A free shuttle bus service will be operating in Tenby this weekend to help pedestrians access the town centre following the fire at the Royal Gatehouse Hotel. The wheelchair accessible, low floor 22-seat vehicle will operate between North Beach car park and South Parade via The Norton, St. John's Hill and Greenhill Road tomorrow (Saturday) and Sunday. Funded by Pembrokeshire County Council, it will run between 10 am and 6 pm every 20 minutes and will be free to passengers.

What now for development plans?

The fire comes just a month after Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority confirmed that plans were in the pipeline for a major development of several sites within Tenby, including the town's dilapidated Royal Gatehouse Hotel. "The authority has not yet received completed applications, but if and when it does, they will be well publicised to give all interested parties the opportunity to comment," said a Park spokesperson at the time. Applications were at that time in the process of being submitted by South Wales-based developers Dovey Estates, who had come up with plans for a residential/retail scheme that encompasses the hotel, the adjoining properties, Milford House and Kent House, the cinema, the former petrol station and the Royal Lion Hotel, while a secondary scheme for the Delphi Apartments in South Parade had also been proposed. At the same time, local councillors labelled the state of the Royal Gatehouse in White Lion Street - a listed building - as an "embarrassment" to the town. Pembrokeshire County Council, meanwhile, served a dangerous structures notice on the hotel's owners. And the town council agreed that a letter should be written to the Royal Gatehouse's owner, Mr. Graham Fry, over the matter, along with further letters to the Welsh Assembly, Pembrokeshire County Council, PCNPA and CADW.