Weston Grand Atlantic Hotel police callout as order issued

Officers were called to the seafront building on Beach Road at about 7pm on Thursday, September 10.

The youths left at 8.45pm, and officers then carried out high-visibility patrols.

An Avon and Somerset Police spokesperson told the Weston Mercury: "A Section 35 dispersal order has been issued under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act allowing an officer to direct a person to leave a specified area for up to 48 hours.

"Failing to comply is a criminal offence which can result in imprisonment, a fine, or both."

A dispersal order has been issued around the hotel (Image: Newsquest)

The order follows mounting concerns about the former hotel.

Residents have reported trespassing, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage at the site.

The hotel has been closed since June 2025, awaiting refurbishment that has yet to begin.

North Somerset Council leader Mike Bell recently said nearby residents deserved answers about the building’s future.

He was due to meet council officers, Avon and Somerset Police and the owners’ representatives this week to discuss further action.

Singapore-based hospitality company The Fragrance Group has owned the 72-bedroom property since 2023.

In July, the company said it had installed steel fencing, CCTV and 24-hour monitoring, and urged anyone who saw suspicious activity to contact police.

A company spokesperson previously said: "We are in the process of developing our plans for the future of the Grand Atlantic Hotel and since the acquisition, the Fragrance Group have worked closely with the council, local police, the MP and neighbours. 

"The safety and security of the Grand Atlantic Hotel and the surrounding community is a priority."

The Grand Atlantic has stood on Weston seafront for more than a century. It opened as a Victorian boys’ school in 1859 before becoming a hotel in 1889.