IN PHOTOS - EXCLUSIVE: Historic skeletal remains removed from hotel development site

DEVELOPERS have confirmed that historical human remains have been located on the site of a new 100-plus bedroom hotel in Bridgwater.

The Mercure Bridgwater Hotel is currently under construction on the site of the former Co-op store on the crossroads at Eastover, Monmouth Street, St John Street and Broadway.

Mercure is part of international group Accor and the Bridgwater four-star hotel is due to open in late 2017 following a £9m building and redevelopment programme being led by DC Hotels.

But there have been rumours circulating locally about mysterious goings-on in recent weeks fuelled by concern and speculation from the Bridgwater & District Civic Society with the proposed hotel being built on the site of the old St John’s Hospital which stood from 1213-1539 and looked after the poor, sick and infirm and offered accommodation to travellers and pilgrims.

Now a spokesman for the developers has told Bridgwater Press what has been going on at the site and that skeletal remains have been exhumed and removed.

“Within the local community of Bridgwater and Sedgemoor District Council, there have been rumours relating to the activities on the site of the New Mercure Bridgwater Hotel,” said the spokesman.

“At the request of local agencies, it was necessary to withhold information concerning some finds on the site.

“We can confirm that on a small section of the site, some historical human remains were located.

“Specialist persons were appointed and a licence from the Ministry of Justice was obtained for the removal and transportation to a new location of the remains.”

The spokesman for the developers said a full statement about the situation would be released next week but they have already allowed well-known local photographer Jeff Searle, of Bridgwater Press, onto the site to take some exclusive photos of the detailed work going on.

PHOTO – ABOVE: Deepak Chainrai, of DC Hotels, and Neil Cahill, of Building Construction Solutions, at the site in Bridgwater.

Tags:
News.