The demolition of an eyesore hotel in Harlech has finally begun.

St David’s Hotel had fallen into a serious state of disrepair since its closure in 2008, with local concerns over the state of the building.

This led to a long-running dispute between the Snowdonia National Park Authority and the hotel’s owners since the issuing of an enforcement notice in 2015 to demolish the building after it was declared unsafe.

In a further development, the park authority revealed in January that it was building a bat barn to offer a new home for the hotel’s colony of bats as they prepared for its eventual demolition.

This, they said, was a necessity before demolition could start, with a new report confirming the barn has now been finished.

Aitchison Associates is believed to have paid out £21,900 in fines for failing to comply with the previous enforcement notice.

According to the park authority, the hotel’s “unsightly appearance seriously detracts from the surrounding vicinity and prevents the economic development of Harlech”.

In January, Jonathan Cawley, the Snowdonia National Park Authority’s director for planning and land management, said: “Constructing the bat barn is an important part in the process of removing the eyesore that is the derelict hotel.

“We will continue to pursue the issue of demolition, but there are still significant constraints to overcome – with financing the work being the primary issue.”