Wareham's Bear hotel evacuated after bedroom ceiling collapse

A historic hotel in Wareham, Dorset, has been evacuated after part of a ceiling and masonry above a bay window collapsed inside one of its bedrooms. Dorset Council's building control team said part of South Street, along with nearby pedestrian access routes, has been shut as a precaution because of structural damage at The Bear. The room was not occupied when the material came down, and no injuries have been reported.

A spokesperson for the hotel said there was no need for panic and that the collapse was reported to the council immediately. They said the building was evacuated purely as a precaution, with Dorset and Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service attending as part of a standard safety response, and that restaurant guests and staff all left safely. The spokesperson apologised for the disruption to guests, neighbours and users of South Street, and thanked the emergency services and the council for their swift support.

Dorset Council said its building control officers have been working with the highways team and the owners' appointed contractors and scaffolders. Safety scaffolding is being erected, and the owners' contractors are due to install protective hoarding and structural supports the following day. The council is aiming to reopen one lane of traffic and the footpath on the opposite side of the road once the support structures have been inspected and signed off by structural engineers.

The authority said it could not confirm timescales at this stage, as reopening will depend on the completion and approval of the necessary safety work. It added that it understands the disruption being caused to local residents and businesses and is working with all parties to reopen the affected areas as soon as it is safe.

The Bear is a Grade II* listed former coaching inn built in 1852. It is known locally for a lifesize stone bear that looks out over the street from its first-floor balcony.