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The part-completed hotel in summer 2007

The half-built hotel

The A40 from Burford to Cheltenham is the gateway to Gloucestershire for thousands of drivers a day. But there's one spot visitors WON'T be stopping off at. Clare Parrack ponders a long-running puzzle ... and wonders what the future holds.

The hilltop on the A40 just west of the turning for the pretty Cotswold village of Windrush was once the setting for an iconic transport café.

Sale time at last? The auction sign

Before the M4 opened, it was a landmark stop for truckers and travellers en route from London to Wales and back.

Once closed, the Windrush Café fell into disrepair, growing ever more tumbledown throughout the 1990s.

But it remained etched bold in drivers' memories.

One regular described the building as 'Latin American cantina' in style, the food as 'superb - fast, plentiful and hot' and and the entire staff as 'slightly voluptuous women of a certain age - the stuff dreams were made of'.

Weeks from completion

Hopes of a new era of hospitality of a more sophisticated nature dawned with the new millennium as the last tattered remains of the Windrush Café were cleared to make way for the foundations of what a sign proclaimed as Windrush Heights Hotel.

"I can't be the only driver who wonders why it's been allowed to stand unfinished and deteriorating for so long."
Clare Parrack

This was around 2001. As a commuter who has passed the spot daily since 1993 I was delighted that the blot on the landscape looked set to be replaced by a building more suited to the beautiful Cotswold setting of a key gateway to Gloucestershire.

My hopes were shortlived when building work came to a halt for more than 18 months, but by May 2005 the L-shaped hotel looked just weeks from completion.

Smashed windows

The Cotswold stone walls were all up, the pitched roof nearly finished apart from a gaping hole over the main entrance.

Then the builders disappeared again. And as these photographs show they haven't been back since.

Smashed windows

These pictures were taken in summer 2007 and the almost-roofed, part-windowed structure has stood abandoned to the elements since then, getting ever more tumbledown.

The wire fencing surrounding the site has been breached and signs of vandalism include smashed windows and scattered building blocks.

The steel bonds round plastic-wrapped packages of building stone have rusted. A concrete mixer stands abandoned and a wheelbarrow lies half-hidden in a nettle-filled ditch.

Stunning backdrop

And it all looks all the more ugly set against the stunning backdrop of the Windrush valley and the Cotswold hills beyond.

Abandoned wheelbarrow in undergrowth

I can't be the only person who has wondered every day as I drive by, not just why the half-built hotel has been abandoned - but why it's been allowed to stand unfinished and deteriorating for so long.

But perhaps a new chapter looks set to open. At long last sign's up saying the eyesore site is up for auction on February 23, 2009.

Rusting debris on the site

Completed, it would be only the third hotel on the main A40 between Oxford and Cheltenham - joining the Inn For All Seasons a couple of miles east and the Puesdown Inn fiurther west at Compton Abdale, near Andoversford.

Considering the passing trade, especially in Gold Cup Week, you'd imagine hotel chains would be queuing up to put bids in for the site.

This is the heart of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

But householders in surrounding picture-postcard villages like Sherborne, The Barringtons and Bourton-on-the-Water have to comply with stringent planning regulations.

So why have Cotswold planners allowed such a prime property site in such a prominent position to stay in such a sorry state? Click on the link below to see more photos.

last updated: 12/02/2009 at 18:52
created: 03/05/2007

Have Your Say

What do you think should be done about the half-built hotel? Have your say.

Big Al
I can remember watching the machine removing two huge fuel tanks from the ground and squashing them in the middle like beer cans, so I dont think that is it. There must be some kind of hidden planning issues or surely someone would have continued with it, should be a great investment.

Old Tom
turn it into a site for us travllers, that what it was before after the cafe went

Andy North
Finish it or pull it down, simple!

Mike
Where is the National Trust when you need them! The site should be bought by them and returned to grassland instead of that eyesore blighting the natural countryside.

Mike Wells
The Auctioneers, Savills, have confirmed that the site did not sell at the auction on Monday 23rd February, 2009. However, it remains for sale through them at £800,000.

George H
I would like to know who actually started building the Windrush Heights - then the question of why the building works stopped could be asked and then maybe potential interested buyers would have a clue to the problem.

J Bryant
I live in Cheltenham now, but in 1950 I was born on this site Windrush Camp,I have Happy memory of my very early days of my life, Windrush and the surrounding area's are beautiful, please hope that someone returns this site to a beautiful site too. As for ghost that's all in the mind.

R. Hughes
local speculation is that the new building was sited over disused garage petrol tanks which apparently forbids such activity for many years on safety grounds - hence the full stop.

Lynda Bennett
I saw this Q. as I tried to find out about the weather before I head past this site as I do once every few months. I've often wondered what happened? why? What will be done? It just seems such a shame that such an impressive building has become a ruin before it's time. Complete or reclaim the stone for another project, use for film do something but it is too sad just to leave it.

Tina
I drove past today and there is an auctoin sign now appeared outside...looks like something may finally be done with it.Somewhere for the truckers I say.

Mike Wells
I have passed this site once every week for the past two years and can confirm that nothing has changed in that time.However, on Saturday 7th February, 2009 a small notice within the site caught my eye. Unfortunately I was in the flow of traffic so just had time for a quick glance and saw the word "auction" and a date which I think was "27th" but there was considerably more which could only be read while stationary. Unfortunately the deep snow had remained, making it difficult to pull off the road into the turning or lay by adjacent to the site.I thought it would be possible to find some information on the internet and evetually finished up on your site. At least this answers some questions but does not mention when or where the auction is due to take place and at this time of writing I have not found the answer.My interest is due to my first visit to the Windrush Cafe in 1961 when this was the main route from London to South Wales but I continued to use it for other journeys until the 1980's. My job was that of an HGV Diver working from the West London area so it was ideally situated for a break in both directions. The only drawback was that there were no lower windows so once inside you couldn't see the car park which could result in security problems.The proprietors were Mr. and Mrs. Miles who couldn't be described as a friendly couple but produced very good basic food and sold other items that possibly had dropped off the back of lorries. During the 1970's a girl who lived in Northleach worked there and used to obtain lifts home from regular drivers who ran through the village as the bypass had not been constructed by then.Around this time a caravan appeared behind the cafe and, I understood, was used to accomodate drivers who spent the night there. Although some were sleeping in their vehicles by this time, the practice remained illegal and some Police forces took proceedings against offenders.Opposite the site is what appears to be a derelict filling station but I cannot remember this being operational but think it could have been connected with the cafe at some stage. I will continue to search for more information but, hopefully, it will be possible to stop next Saturday when I will note the details.

KM
The new sign up says it's being auctioned later this month (Feb 09) - so who knows - it may be finished by whoever purchases it!

Flam
Dig it up, along with the A40 and rid us of the blight of traffic and people.

Myra Benson
Just seems such a waste of a site in a lovely area.

barbara
Somebody ought to take it on and FINISH it . Its sad that its left in the condition it is, Such a wawaste!

James Ellis
In a frustrating socio-economic climate where land and housing is so disproportionately overpriced, why the hell is this piece or "real estate" being left to rot? I couldn't care if it becomes a transport cafe, or affordable housing - surely something is very wrong with our system if this is to remain, either that or the landowners have lost their marbles in abandonment of the site and are already stinking rich. In which case just hand the deeds over to me and i'll sort it!

Paul
looks like a remakably uninspiring building. Far more use as a resurected transport cafe. For inspiration take a look at The Ace Cafe on the North Circular.

Sally
Does anybody know who actually owns it?

truckerbob,forest of dean.
turn it back to a truckstop.they are taking away all our old cafe's and turning them into little chef's ect and turn us (truckers) away. surround the site with trees and make a big lorry park. this cafe was a haven for us in the snow when the roads got closed.

ROSE
Maybe the spot is spooked and was never meant for habitation. Demolish the blot and give it back to nature.

Hugh Collins
The problem is that this was always a very poorly conceived project.Maybe there's a market for a motel chain like Travelodge, but this building is the wrong shape/specification for them.And if it is to be a more up-market hotel, who would want to stop at a windswept place right on the main road, when there are plenty of much more attractive country hotels in the surrounding towns and villages?

Martin Shurmer
Let some "naughty kids" get a taste of construction work, get them to finish it, fence it iall in and then let them live there and call it a young offenders institution.

Ronaele Irwin
I have also passed the 'Hotel' for the last two years, wondering what it was going to be and why it's taking so long. It could be a wonderful building but is now being left to the elements. I can understand in the current climate money for the build has obviously run out but surely as mentioned in the original report, this would be a great catch for a hotel chain. It would definitely be used.

Suzanne Cheltenham
IF the site was used for affordable housing, as far as I can see any other amenties-schools,shops etc are non-existent. Isn't there something called compulsory purchase?

Malcolm
I think the Windrush cafe was the cafe used in the film 'IF' - in which case it probably should have been better treated, as an element of one of the world's most iconic films.

Maggie Cheltenham
Who owns the building/ site?

cheltonian
Who gave panning permission in the first place!Pull it down and give it back to nature.

Bradley DM
I'm in complete agreement with "JO". It is a shameful waste of building materials, land and an eyesore. However, taxpayers/councilors etc etc should take action and see that the construction continues, affordable (and I do mean "affordable") homes created for purchase and/or rentals. The land has already been scraped away so let's make the best of a bad situation.I'm surprised all those super building materials (not to mention wheel barrows) haven't grown legs and walked away. I'm tempted (as I hate waste) but, sadly for me, I live over 3000 miles away!

Paul Baldwin
Why not get hold of Nick Knowles, Alan Titchmash, Tmmy Walsh, Bob the Builder etc. They'll have it finished in two days at the BBC TV's licence payers' expense. Then we could raffel it off for Chidren In Need at £100 per ticket, or 3 for £200. Happy Days!

lisa peacock
that is a waste

Duke theedam
Ahh, this old one...again...are we that stuck for news Beeb, that we have to keep re-hashing the old ? Anyway, I stick by my last comment of months ago...and it's all very well talking about it, but what are we actually going to DO about it...or at least the Councillors that live close enough to make any difference or have a real say.

Peter Shelly
It's a terrible shame. My wife and I regularly shed floods of tears when we discuss this blot on the landscape. They should turn it into a roller-disco to do something positive for modern youth.

Peter Tickner
Advertise it as a tourist attraction, similar in vein to the unfinished mansion at Woodchester.

Emma
I also used to drive past that site daily on my way to work and always wondered what was going on there. I didnt even know that it was intended to be a hotel. Its such a shame it has been left in that state as it's an ideal location for a hotel. What a waste of money so far.

Bemused of Burford
Why don't you get in touch with a local news agency that has journalists who could pick up a telephone and ask about it?

Duke Theedam
rip it down and put a proper truckstop back again..something for the REAL traveller...

JO
IT SHOULD BE MADE INTO AFFORDABLE FLATS/APPARTMENTS, THEY WOULD SELL WELL WITH THE EASY ACCESS TO GLOUCESTER AND CHELTENHAM

Richard Lord
Agree completely with Duke Theedam, there are no facilities along A40 for either truckers or families.

Phil S.
I always thought it was an ill coceived idea whether it was a hotel or housing,but it,s very sad to see it like that. I remember stopping at the old Windrush Cafe in the 50's en route to South Wales, cars were so slow then we all needed more stops.

Johnny Bee
I do hear tell that a kitchen hand who worked at the old truckstop was murdered with her own knife many years ago. Truckers used to tell of strange noises in the night when parked up there. Maybe her ghost scared the builders and they fled....?

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