Gwynedd Council will spend £1.5m to make Tywyn’s crumbling Corbett Arms safe.

Cabinet agreed to fund work on the Grade II once-grand hotel, which Beatle John Lennon reportedly visited.

The partially collapsed building closed around 14 years ago.

Concerns were raised about safety due to the building’s deteriorating condition, but calls to demolish part of it sparked public outrage.

Responsibility for the building fell into legal limbo after its owner died in 2012. Council notes “no probate grant had been confirmed for the estate”.

Gwynedd’s Building Control Service was forced to issue notices to representatives of the late owner, but “no compliance with the requirements had been obtained,” documents note.

Despite efforts to make the building safe, there was a significant collapse at the rear of the site, and a further collapse of the ballroom roof earlier this year.

Urgent action saw the temporary closure of neighbouring streets, Stryd Maengwyn, Sgwâr Corbett and Stryd y Llew Coch, to protect the public, whilst permanent monitoring of the building was put in place.

It was later decided there was “no option” but to submit a listed building consent application (LBC), made by a specialist historic buildings consultant, for a partial deconstruction of the building and work to stabilise the structure.

It sparked objections from the public, community councils and responses from Save Britain’s Heritage, The Georgian Group and Victorian Society.

At Cabinet on 16 December, a decision was approved to free up funds of £1.5 million for the building.

Cllr Craig Ab Iago said the Corbett Arms was an issue “affecting the lives of Gwynedd residents particularly those in Tywyn”.

He said the decision was important because it was “not the council’s money but the money of our people”.

Dafydd Wyn Williams, Head of Environment, said to date, £938k had been spent, and this sum was included in the estimated £1.5m fund.

Costs are associated with scaffolding to protect the public, road closure traffic management, site and building safety, composite works, extensive on-site access, a specialist demolition contractor, structural engineer, quantity surveyor/project manager, planning consultant, ecology work and ongoing specialist building monitoring.

He said: “There is a duty on the council to keep the public safe, and to save the building, because of its listed status.

“We’ve applied for listed building consent, so we can demolish part of the building to make it secure, so things can move forward, but this means significant costs so far, nearly £1m. Our total estimated cost will be £1.5m.

“The council does not have any funds or money for this, therefore we ask for it to be looked at as part of the council’s financial strategy.

“Our role is to keep the building as safe as possible. There is a risk if maintenance is not carried out there could be further impact, but we are trying to prevent that in the work we have proposed.

“The appearance may not be much better, but it will be secure and safe, then it will be up to whoever owns the site to move it forward in future.”