The people of Tywyn and beyond are being urged to email Gwynedd Council CEO Dafydd Gibbard to ask him to save The Corbett Arms Hotel.

The threat of the wrecking ball has triggered a united call from national heritage organisations to Gwynedd Council to urgently re-think.

The council say they must demolish the former hotel whose guests included John Lennon and Yoko Ono because it is structurally unsafe, but new evidence commissioned by SAVE casts doubt on that, they say.

A buyer is also reportedly interested in reviving it, creating dozens of jobs and boosting the town. But chamber chair Mike Stevens says the council has ignored all this and is blindly set on demolition.

Two sections at the back of the 1833 building have collapsed, but SAVE questions the need for demolition. The council appears to have made a decision to demolish the entire building based on a structural engineer’s report that has not been made public despite repeated requests.

SAVE sent specialist conservation engineer, Jon Avent, director at Mann Williams civil and structural engineers, to carry out an urgent review. He was not granted access by the council but observed the building from the outside and used drone imagery. He said: “There is simply no justification for demolition.”

He added: “When asked to inspect this building due for demolition, I expected to see a building presenting widespread structural failures and beyond repair. What I saw was an impressive piece of history in need of some care and attention. A small area of collapse at the rear, but nothing to unduly challenge those with a willingness to see a sustainable future for this lovely building.

Henrietta Billings, director of SAVE Britain’s Heritage, said: “The Corbett Arms Hotel is a handsome landmark – the centrepiece of the town – full of history and rooted in the community. It’s shocking that this substantial listed hotel has been allowed to deteriorate for so long.

“In their last press release, on 16 April, the council said they had ‘no choice but to submit an application for listed building permission for demolition work’ but have so far declined to release the evidence to back this statement up.

“We are pleased to publish the findings today of an independent review by a national conservation engineer. It states that the case for wholesale demolition has not been made.

“We call on the council to urgently re-think their wrecking ball approach. We appeal to them to work with local businesses to find a new future for this hotel rather than waste it. It could once again be an economic driver for the town, providing local jobs and accommodation for visitors and tourism.”

Mike Stevens, chair of Tywyn & District Chamber of Tourism and Commerce (CTC), said: “There has been a credible buyer trying to purchase the hotel for many years, of which Gwynedd Council is fully aware.

“If the Corbett can be saved, renovated and brought back into full use the economic benefits to Tywyn and the surrounding area are immeasurable for years to come. It will provide employment for dozens of local people for generations.”

The case has attracted the attention of national heritage organisations the Victorian Society and Historic Buildings & Places.

Thomas Ollivier, conservation advisor at The Victorian Society, said: “The Corbett Arms is an important landmark in the expansion of consumerism and tourism in Wales throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, and is a key building at the heart of Tywyn. It is grade II-listed, meaning it is recognised for its national significance and special interest.

“To demolish the entirety of the Corbett Arms would not only be disproportionate, but also hugely shortsighted and would result in the permanent disfigurement of Tywyn and its historic streetscape. Reuse of this viable and important building is the only acceptable and sensible option.”

Ross Anthony, casework manager at Historic Buildings & Places (HB&P), said: “We are deeply concerned about the proposed demolition of Tywyn’s Corbett Arms Hotel and that none of the repairs and urgent works notices were acted on. The hotel is one of the largest and most significant structures in Tywyn and part of an important collection of buildings at the heart of the community, which includes the adjacent Assembly Rooms and the church.

“Now that the building has been partly secured with the recently installed scaffolding, HB&P urge Gwynedd Council to take the time to consider its wider value to the local community and to release the historic building report that has been prepared for the council, before any demolition takes place. We also welcome the news from SAVE that an independent structural engineer has been commissioned to assess the structural integrity of the building.”

SAVE suggests people email the CEO of Gwynedd Council Dafydd Gibbard, urge him to save The Corbett Arms Hotel and not demolish it.

A Gwynedd Council spokesperson said: “The condition of the Corbett Arms Hotel in Tywyn has been a cause for concern for Cyngor Gwynedd and the local community for years.

“Over the last few years, Cyngor Gwynedd has issued several enforcement notices and taken action under Section 78 (dangerous buildings) of the Building Act 1984 and Section 79 (destructive and dilapidated buildings) of the Building Act 1984 in relation to the Corbett Arms Hotel building.

“Despite efforts to protect and ensure the long-term use of this Grade II listed building, the condition of the Corbett Arms has continued to deteriorate with a significant collapse at the rear of the building at the end of January, along with a further collapse on the roof of the ballroom at the end of February.

“The council convened a project group with a range of expertise to manage and implement its response to the matter, and we have also consulted regularly with Cadw and the Royal Commission.

“The Council had to take immediate action to protect the public at the time of the initial collapse which included the partial closure of a road, the erection of security fences and continuous monitoring of the building.

“As a result of the ongoing monitoring of the building, urgent action had to be taken to temporarily close Maengwyn Street, Corbett Square and Red Lion Street to traffic from 17 April and to install structural scaffolding to protect the safety of nearby residents, businesses and the general public. It is anticipated that the road may be closed for 8 to 12 weeks but this will be reviewed regularly.

“After careful consideration of detailed expert advice about the structural condition of the building, taking into account public safety as well as the fact that the building is listed, the Council has no choice but to submit an application for listed building permission for works involving demolition works. Arrangements for submitting this application to Cadw are progressing and it is expected that the application will be submitted as soon as possible.

“Unfortunately, the condition of the building has deteriorated to the point where there is a risk of further building collapse and immediate action had to be taken to protect the health and safety of the public. The Council has commissioned a specialist company to erect scaffolding and carry out on-site preparatory work, to enable the access and use of the necessary specialist plant and machinery. This means that they will be able to react immediately if emergency demolition work has to be carried out as a result of another collapse or if evidence comes to light from the ongoing monitoring work.

“In the absence of another collapse or evidence that the condition of the building is deteriorating to such an extent that the Council must respond urgently, the Council will not carry out demolition work until the consent of a listed building has been approved by Welsh Government Ministers.

“Following the emergency and partial demolition to the rear of the building, the Council will continue to assess the remainder of the building, before considering any further action taking into account the structural condition and listed status of the building.

“The council does not own the building nor does it intend to take any steps to purchase the building, and we are acting on statutory steps to protect the public.

“At present the council's priority in this case is public safety and at the same time giving due consideration to the listed status of the building.”