Work begins on fire-ravaged hotel's redevelopment
BBCWork to restore a historic hotel has started more than nine years since a large fire destroyed the site.
The £17m plans for Exeter's Royal Clarence Hotel are set to take about two years to complete and have a restaurant, pub and flats incorporated in the designs from developers Nooko.
In October 2016, a blaze ripped through the city centre venue - dating back to 1769 - which required more than 1,100 firefighters to battle the flames.
Nooko director Max Sayers said there was an ambition to retain as much of the Royal Clarence's history as possible.
"Everywhere I look I see these areas (of history)," Sayers added.
"We've redesigned the Royal Clarence to include these old bits of building, which are truly beautiful, into the new build aspect."
Sayers said the first year of the project would be about shoring up the Well House pub at the site before installing a concrete frame and building the outside facade.
He hoped to celebrate Christmas 2027 by finishing off the rebuild in the Cathedral Green area of the city.
Ben Mangan, who owns the neighbouring Eat on the Green cafe, said he was pleased to see progress being made.
"There's been two false dawns, but this time we know it's for real," he said.
Mangan accepted there would be short-term dust and noise disruption, but thought people would want to visit and "witness the recreation of a wonderful building".
He added: "It'll be good for the area and for the people of Exeter."
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